PB009 API-FAG

The idea of the project meets one of the most serious health and economic problems of honeybees as their sickness leads to a weakening of the vitality of bee colonies and huge economic losses in agriculture and horticulture. The planned research is associated with the creation of a unique collection of phages specific for Paenibacillus larvae’s and Melissococcus pluton’s pathogens which are the main etiological agents of American and European foulbrood occurring in honeybee worn.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the project is the development and implementation of phage preparation intended for the prevention and treatment of American foulbrood and European foulbrood, diseases occurring (causing a death of) in honeybees.

DESCRIPTION

The research objective will be achieved by the isolation and characterization of specific phages active against bacteria causing bees`diseases and the development of composition and form of phage formulation for the use in prophylaxis and therapeutic purposes against the American and European foulbrood.

Phage isolation will be done from biological and environmental samples obtained from apiaries infected with foulbrood pathogens as well as from mature apiaries, showing no signs of disease.

The most lytically active phages will be characterized structurally, genetically and biologically, and their stability in carriers of various chemical compositions will be determined. It is planned to develop a form of preparation for feeding bees and for spraying apiary elements. The final product will be tested in near-natural conditions and then in real conditions in families infected with foulbrood. In addition, the presence of the bacteriophage preparation residues in honey will be analyzed.

PURE BIOLOGICS’ ROLE

Genetic and proteomic characterization of phages picked as the preparation components and the development of a chemical carrier for the application of the bacteriophage preparation for the treatment and prevention of bee colony diseases.

PROJECT PROGRESS

Project completed. The tasks envisaged for the Company have been completed.

PROJECT DATA SHEET

Title: The development and implementation of a bacteriophage preparation intended to use in the treatment and prevention of the American and European foulbrood of honey bee
Program: Smart Growth Operational Programme 2014-2020
Project value: PLN 1 305 930,60 (the entire consortium: PLN 4 868 154,72)
Contribution of European Funds: PLN 1 044 744,48 (the entire consortium: PLN 4 524 768,61)
Start: 1^st March 2017
End: 31^st December 2020
Consortium members: Instytut Immunologii i Terapii Doświadczalnej PAN, Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy we Wrocławiu, BioScientia Sp. z o.o., Pure Biologics S.A.