Frontiers of medicine: treating bacterial diseases with viruses
The fight against antibiotic-resistant superbugs is the medical challenge of the present and near future, and a secret weapon may be the “nail drives out a nail” tactic. Steven Theriault, a scientist from Winnipeg, believes he has the key to solving the problem: bacteriophages, viruses that attack and destroy bacteria. However, despite the potential to save lives and transform agriculture, Theriault faces a daunting obstacle: Canada's stringent regulatory system.
A former paramedic turned PhD in molecular genetics and virology, Theriault founded Cytophage, with the goal of harnessing bacteriophage viruses to combat antibiotic resistance. His innovative research revolves around the manipulation and engineering of these viruses, allowing them to target a spectrum of bacteria. The potential of this discovery is not just revolutionary: it is potentially life-saving.
“Bacteriophage viruses cannot harm humans or animals; they are specific for attacking bacteria,” explains Theriault, countering concerns about their safety. He highlights their potential to address a global health crisis highlighted by the World Health Organization: antibiotic resistance, responsible for nearly five million deaths a year.
Theriault's research is not limited to human health. It has branched out into agriculture, developing FarmPhage , a cocktail of bacteriophages that has proven very effective in tests as a veterinary drug. In chickens infected with E. coli, the survival rate rose to 92%, in stark contrast to the 8% survival rate of untreated birds. Furthermore, chickens treated in Bangladesh showed better growth, requiring less feed and reaching maturity more quickly.
However, Theriault's journey to implementing this innovative solution faces a formidable obstacle: Canada's stringent regulatory system. Although Theriault's bacteriophage-based treatments are promising, current regulations, designed for chemical and synthetic drugs, make it complex to test.
Regulatory hurdles preventing approval
One regulatory hurdle is Health Canada's requirement for field trials that require the culling of treated animals, a practice Theriault and his supporters oppose on ethical grounds. Their argument is based on the safety and lack of residues that these bacteriophages leave in meat products, challenging the conventional concept of their classification as traditional drugs.
If these are the difficulties in approving drugs for veterinary use, not for humans, we can understand how difficult testing for medical use is. At the same time, the use of bacteriophage viruses would be able to precipitate the use of antibiotics on farms, causing their residues to fall into the environment and therefore both in the meat and, for example, in the soil and waste water from farms, also reducing antibiotic resistance indirectly induced in humans.
Meanwhile, Canadian manufacturers are watching these developments carefully, recognizing potential opportunities once the technology gains regulatory approval. Wayne Hiltz of Manitoba Chicken Producers sees promise, but stresses that the regulatory barrier is a significant barrier to progress.
Theriault's solution involves freeze-drying FarmPhage, which provides longer shelf life and facilitates distribution in regions without refrigeration facilities. The goal is to process millions of chickens a month in Bangladesh, a move that could save lives and improve food security.
However, despite the urgent need to combat the global antibiotic resistance crisis, Theriault remains trapped by regulatory constraints. His hope is based on a paradigm shift that allows innovative solutions like bacteriophages to rapidly combat superbugs that threaten human health and agriculture.
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The article Frontiers of medicine: treating bacterial diseases with viruses comes from Economic Scenarios .
This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/frontiere-della-medicina-curare-le-malattie-da-batteri-con-i-virus/ on Sun, 31 Dec 2023 14:30:47 +0000.