Market assessment for novel, natural product derived animal health therapeutics

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Acidophil is laying the groundwork for a UK-based animal health biotech company and hason-going programs to develop novel natural product based medicines. This project aims tofurther develop Acidophil’s view of optimal routes to market with an emphasis on regulatoryand competitive environments and patent landscape. This information is necessary to supportefforts to raise investment necessary to develop this opportunity and build value for the UKeconomy.Animal health is a compelling market, but relatively neglected by biotechnology. The globalanimal health industry for livestock and companion animals is £60-67 billion, with medicinescomprising £22 billion of the market. Agriculture, both crops and livestock, is a key pillar ofthe UK economy. The UK is famously a nation of animal enthusiasts, with a large populationof companion animals.. European sales accounted for 32% of the worldwide animal medicinesales, making it the second largest market after the United States.Threats to animal health are costly: for example livestock losses due to invertebrate pests total£34 billion worldwide each year. Additionally, the long-term task of preventing animaldiseases costs the UK about £100 million per year. Agents currently used to protect livestockare gradually losing effectiveness due to development of resistance and emergence of newpests, yet few new agents are entering the market.Acidophil’s innovation consists of using synthetic biology and chemistry to make novel andimproved parasiticides that can overcome pest resistance and target a broad range of pests.Success will result in valuable products for livestock and companion animal protection. Thisprogram of research and resultant intellectual property are being supported, in part, byInnovate UK through the Agri-Tech Catalyst scheme. While the development of activecompounds is underway, the question of where they deliver the most value in animal healthremains.