PBD Biotech
PBD Biotech has developed a novel phage-based diagnostic technique to detect the presence of mycobacteria infections.
Agricultural biotechnology
School of Biosciences
Profile
Founded in 2014 as a spin-out from the University of Nottingham’s School of Biosciences, PBD Biotech specialises in novel bacteriophage-based diagnostics.
The company’s proprietary Actiphage® technology detects live Mycobacteria – the bacteria responsible for tuberculosis (TB) in humans and animals – using simple blood samples. It can identify extremely low levels of live bacteria within 6–8 hours, a significant improvement over traditional methods that can take up to 12 weeks.
In animals, Actiphage® detects live Mycobacterium in cattle and wildlife, differentiates between vaccinated and infected animals, and identifies contamination in dairy products to ensure safety and quality.
Early human TB studies show the technology can rapidly identify latent, incipient, and active infections, offering major advantages for disease control by detecting infectious individuals before symptoms develop.
PBD Biotech is currently conducting NIHR-funded clinical trials in human TB and further validation in bovine TB.
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