Subventions et des contributions :

Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier (2017-2018 à 2018-2019).

Salmonella infections represent a significant public health concern and disease burden. Significant sources ofx000D
infection are typically contaminated meat and poultry, eggs, and fresh produce. As such, the control ofx000D
Salmonella infections in poultry products is one means to reduce human infections. While advances have beenx000D
made in reducing the frequency of Salmonella contamination in processed poultry, there is mounting pressurex000D
on commercial producers to prevent and/or eliminate these pathogens in pre-harvest production facilities.x000D
NovoBind Livestock Therapeutics Inc. proposes to develop a novel antibody-based therapeutic strategy thatx000D
could be provided to commercial growers to prevent and/or eliminate Salmonella pathogens in pre-harvestx000D
poultry production facilities. Currently, novel Salmonella-specific antibodies (NBXs) have been generated andx000D
tested for their efficacy using in vitro and in vivo methods. This proposal relies on the expertise of Dr. Chrisx000D
Loewen and his laboratory in the fields of yeast genetics, protein production and biochemistry. This work willx000D
generate yeast strains that can produce and hopefully improve NBXs efficacy in blocking Salmonella infectionx000D
in chickens. Additionally, we will develop stable pro-biotic yeast strains expressing NBXs for direct inclusionx000D
in chicken feed. Our approach will combine promoters of chicken gastrointestinal health with pathogen specificx000D
NBXs that inhibit key virulence pathways. The following steps will be taken to determine the synergisticx000D
efficacy of our conjugate approach: (1) NBXs will be engineered to contain sites for glycosylation in yeast. (2)x000D
NBXs will be expressed as soluble and membrane bound variants, or both, in Sacchyomyces cerevisiae andx000D
Pichia pastoris. (3) Soluble NBXs and NBX-producing yeast will be tested in vitro for improved activityx000D
against Salmonella. (4) The efficacy of NBXs against Salmonella infection will be tested in vivo in chickens.x000D
The development of a Salmonella-selective and highly effective antibody would benefit Canadian and worldx000D
populations by reducing human infection and illness, loss of life, and costs of treatment. The revenue generatedx000D
by NovoBind in delivering this product would also be an economic boost to Canada.