Actiphage is a unique diagnostic for early-stage infection. It can identify live cells of Mycobacteria tuberculosis (Mtb) from a blood sample, providing evidence that a person is carrying an active infection that will progress to full disease unless treated (incipient TBI).
TB patent progresses
Certificate of Grant for the South African TB patent relates to methods for detecting incipient TB and is the national phase of the International Application, publication number WO2020/234555A1.
The patent is supported by a study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases: ‘A Novel, High-sensitivity, Bacteriophage-based Assay Identifies Low-level Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Bacteraemia in Immunocompetent Patients with Active and Incipient Tuberculosis’ (DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciz548).
The study was led by Raman Verma and Pranabashis Haldar of the National Institute for Health Research Respiratory Biomedical Research Centre at University of Leicester*.
Actiphage has been further refined and developed since this study, and Dr Haldar is currently conducting a large clinical trial to further validate and verify the diagnostic.
Further trials are starting in Zambia and a useability trial is being conducted in the Philippines with R2D2 TB Network.
Jane Theaker, CEO at PBD Biotech, comments: “A diagnostic that can use a blood sample to identify those with early-stage TB disease is urgently required to ensure cost-effective targeting of treatment and evidence of cure.
“Gaining this Certificate of Grant for South Africa confirms our commitment to eradicating TB.”
* ‘A Novel, High-sensitivity, Bacteriophage-based Assay Identifies Low-level Mycobacterium tuberculosis Bacteremia in Immunocompetent Patients With Active and Incipient Tuberculosis‘, Raman Verma, Benjamin M C Swift, Wade Handley-Hartill, Joanne K Lee, Gerrit Woltmann, Catherine E D Rees, Pranabashis Haldar
