Large-scale production of phages gets green light

Montreal, QC – Following a successful pilot study, biotech company Biophage Pharma says it has signed a follow-on contract with Alberta Agriculture and Food to proceed with the production of large-scale volumes of highly purified bacteriophage preparations in a fermentor.

Biophage says the completion of this second contract will put it in a position to offer biotech companies working in this field, as well as food producers and distributors, the commercial volumes of bacteriophages required to prevent bacterial contamination throughout the supply chain.

“The successful completion of the pilot study and the signing of this follow-on contract with Alberta Agriculture and Food in just three months demonstrate that our technologies and know-how are sound and solidify our position as a leading provider of highly purified phages to the food industry,” says Dr Rosemonde Mandeville, the company’s president and CEO.

In August 2006, the US Food and Drug Administration made a ruling that allows the use of phage preparations on ready-to-use-meat and poultry products.