What is BAFASAL®?

BAFASAL® is a unique bacteriophage preparation with anti-Salmonella activity. Application of a suitable composition of bacteriophages will ensure that the product meets all safety standards required  by a feed additive.

Why BAFASAL®?

Our product is based on natural elements of the ecosystem, it does not interact negatively with organisms other than bacteria and it is not retained in the organism when the bacteriophages’ natural host (in this case Salmonella ssp.) is not present.

BAFASAL® (patent-pending), our innovative preparation, is an answer to a serious challenge for the European animal production sector, which is to reduce the number of Salmonella infections in poultry. Even though programs intended to achieve this goal have been introduced, the levels of Salmonella prevalence is still problematic. In 2006 23.7 %of broiler flocks in European Union were positive for Salmonella. In 2008 those levels dropped to 15.7 %. Still, it is estimated that even 4.6 % of laying flocks farmed in Poland is infected with Salmonella.  Since January 1st, 2006 it is forbidden to include in the feed any additive that is an antibiotic. Our preparation is not an antibiotic and creates a viable solution for the crucial problem. BAFASAL® works in a more selective way than antibiotics and other methods used up to this time, precisely destroying pathogenic strains of Salmonella. BAFASAL® is a unique technological solution – there are no other similar products for Salmonella control on the market of feed additives. The preparation was tested for effectiveness and safety on a poultry farm. It is in the process of product registration.

About FCC technology

Proteon Pharmaceuticals offers application of its proprietary technology named Fluorescent Cell Chip (FCC) in the preclinical research of novel pharmaceutical compounds.

Why FCC?

FCC allows for quick identification of chemical compounds that posses immunomodulatory activities. Such compounds could become candidates for new antiinflammatory, antiallergic and anticancer drugs. FCC was validated with a set of 60 chemical compounds of known bioactivities. Resultant data show a good correlation between FCC and available data on immunomodulatory and immunotoxic activities observed in vivo.

What is FCC?

Our technology is based on genetically modified cell lines that express fluorescent protein in a way that mimics expression of targeted cytokines. These cell lines developed specifically for FCC are biosensors that fluoresce whenever they express interleukin 2 (IL-2), interleukin 4 (IL-4), interleukin 10 (IL-10), interferon γ (IFN-γ) , and β-actin. Actual testing consists of incubation of reporter cells with tested compound followed by cell analysis using digital flow cytometer that measures both cell viability and reporter gene expression. Targeted cytokine genes are critical regulator of immune system. IL-2 is indispensable for T cell proliferation and recombinant IL-2 is used as a part of anti-cancer treatment while IL-2 inhibition is mechanism of action o the strongest immunosuppressive drugs such as cyclosporine and tacrolimus. IL-4 and IFN-γ seems to be important targets for treatment of allergies, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis. Stimulation of IL-10 expression decreases inflammatory responses and inhibition of this cytokine supports the effective immune response against intracellular parasites thus modulation of IL-10 expression is considered a possible novel treatments of leishmaniosis, pancreatitis, and lupus.

Applications of FCC?

FCC meets requirements of HTS platform and could be applied as primary screening of chemical libraries for immunomodulatory compounds. Data obtained with FCC point to potential immunostimulants or immunosuppressants. Such bioactivity when confirmed by additional in vitro assay allows focus on particular therapeutic application such as allergy, autoimmune disease or cancer. FCC could also become a valuable component of the battery of tests employed for compound profiling because it allows to better assess the risk of immunotoxicity associated with given substance. Using FCC in early phases of preclinical research will therefore minimize risk of demonstration of unexpected form of immunotoxicity in the later phase of drug development.

FCC advantages at a glance

• Requires small amounts of tested compounds
• Suitable for high through put testing
• Analysis takes hours instead of weeks
• Cost-effective

Bibliographical references of FCC

1. Ulleras et al. Toxicology, 2005. 206: p. 245-56.
2. Ringerike et al. Toxicology, 2005. 206: p. 257-72.
3. Wagner et al. Toxicol Lett, 2006. 162: p. 55-70.