INTERVIEW 52 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE September 2023 AXITAN FOCUSES ON ANTIBIOTIC-FREE PRODUCTION AND IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY Dr Kane Miller, Founder & CEO of Axitan UK biotech company Axitan focuses on eliminating antibiotics from animal feed and improving productivity. It is developing a library of endolysins, and associated products, capable of targeting those pathogens that impact livestock farming historically managed through antibiotic supplements in animal feed and, in so doing, improve productivity yields. Its focus forms part of the wider WHO One Health initiative to combat the threat posed by antimicrobial resistance caused by the overuse of antibiotics, animals accounting for two thirds of the antibiotics consumed globally each year. In October 2022, Axitan obtained US FDA GRAS (Generally Recognised As Safe) status for the algal biomass ingredient used in its first product, FORC3®, “Axitan uses a type of antimicrobial enzyme called an endolysin. Endolysins are unique in that they performs two functions. Firstly, they specifically bind only to the cell wall of the intended target bacterial species. Secondly, they then cut the bonds of the peptidoglycan layer causing the cell to burst and safely disintegrate.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUxNjkxNQ==