The dairy industry has presented The Cream Award for Innovation to PBD Biotech for its rapid Actiphage® test, which can detect both bovine TB and Johne’s disease infections from a single sample of blood or milk.
The Cream Awards promote best practice, and recognise some of the brightest and best businesses and people across the industry.
The Innovation Award announcement was made at a black-tie dinner at Chesford Grange, Warwickshire, following this year’s Dairy-Tech (5 February).
Upon accepting the award, PBD Biotech CEO Mark Hammond said, “We are delighted to be presented with this prestigious award, which in previous years has been won by initiatives devised by industry leaders.
“The Cream Award for Innovation builds on the honour of winning The Royal Dairy Innovation Award in 2019 and signals the industry’s endorsement of Actiphage in a year that has, also, seen increased trials of the test across the UK, United States and Canada to support our evidence base for international validation.
“We’re keen to continue working with farmers, processors and vets to help tackle these economically and emotionally devastating diseases.”
Unlike most existing tests for bovine TB and Johne’s, which rely on the animal’s immune response to the M.bovis (TB) or MAP (Johne’s) mycobacteria, PBD Biotech’s Actiphage test identifies live mycobacterial infection at an early stage – offering the potential to revolutionise disease management and control.
Actiphage’s unique biotechnology can also measure live TB and MAP levels in pasteurised and unpasteurised milk products, giving the quality assurance increasingly demanded of dairy. PBD Biotech works with farmers and producers to offer an ‘insurance policy’ ahead of TB skin-testing; using Actiphage to provide proof that produce is infection-free.
One Cream Awards judge commented: “I feel it is very important to point out that this [Actiphage] is a clear and welcome addition to the arsenal in fighting TB … it is a complimentary technology and welcome addition to our targets of eradicating bovine TB in this country.”
Across The Cream Awards’ 16 categories, organised by British Dairying, judges were seeking: dynamic individuals and companies; those committed to health and wellbeing; and ambassadors to drive a more positive, forward-thinking dairy industry.
PBD Biotech is currently fundraising to support further trials of Actiphage and to set up new UK laboratories. To find out more or get involved, please contact Mark via PBD Biotech’s head office.
