Development of a device for on-farm mastitis testing

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Biotangents are designing the next generation of molecular diagnostics for animal health. Our isothermal amplification technology detects specific genetic markers of a particular disease in a way that, unlike traditional gene detection technologies, can be automated in a simple manner to facilitate in-clinic/on-farm diagnostic testing for infectious diseases. The adaptability of the platform technology allows the rapid development of diagnostic assays for new disease targets to rapidly expand our diagnostic product portfolio. This is aided by our proprietary diagnostic target identification and synthetic biology design processes that are powered by innovative bioinformatics and machine learning approaches.We are developing a new class of product for identifying the causes of mastitis (inflammation of the udder) on the farm, through the detection of genetic sequences specific to the most common bacteria that cause the disease. Mastitis is the most costly disease of dairy cattle globally and reduces the sustainability of the dairy industry. The lack of rapid and reliable diagnostics on the farm and in the veterinary practice contributes to the overuse of antibiotics in livestock farming due to the need to treat animals based on symptoms alone.Our solution, AmpliSpec(tm) VET Mastitis, will facilitate more effective and timely remedial intervention by vets and farmers than current diagnostics methods, which require a multi-day wait for milk samples to be analysed in a central diagnostic laboratory. It will ensure that antibiotics are only utilised when absolutely necessary and the most appropriate antibiotic is selected for the best outcome. This is critical as the demand for dairy products to provide protein increases. More effective treatment of mastitis will result in more efficient production and enhanced sustainability as well as improved welfare standards while supporting the drive towards net zero emissions by 2050.An Innovation Loan will allow us to work with a leading UK medical device design company over 12 months to take our product concept through to a final device prototype evaluated by our target customers (vets and farmers) and ready for manufacture. Beyond mastitis, the product, supported by the flexibility of our isothermal amplification technology, will be adapted for different veterinary diseases (e.g. bovine respiratory disease and calf scour) and has applications in human medical diagnostics and environmental testing. We are already in discussion with global animal health players exploring future applications and are progressing towards a feasibility trial for a solution to overcome a key unmet need within the livestock sector.