Winnipeg Biotech Company Develops New Way to Catch and Kill COVID-19 Virus

Cytophage to Begin Animal Testing on Revolutionary Throat and Nasal Spray

WINNIPEG, MB, March 22, 2021 /CNW/ - Award-winning Cytophage Technologies Inc. today announced it is about to begin animal testing on a throat and nasal spray that will stop infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its variants—thereby preventing death and illness as well as eliminating even asymptomatic cases and the worry about passing the virus to others.

"Unlike vaccines that trigger an immune response only after the virus has flooded the body's systems, the synthetic bacteriophage in our spray will stimulate the production of protective antibodies in the nose and throat that then instantly get to work killing the virus when it enters the body. These antibodies also move throughout the body, allowing for general immunity faster," said Dr. Steven Theriault, CEO and Chief Science Officer at Cytophage. "Essentially this means the person using our product would not develop COVID-19 which, in turn, would prevent the spread of COVID  to others."

Bacteriophages are viruses found in nature that have evolved to specifically target and destroy bacterial cells. Cytophage has found a way to make synthetic phages in a lab that are targeted to destroy specific bacteria or viruses.

Cytophage is a private company that generates phage products to combat bacterial infections such as salmonella, E. coli and clostridium bacteria for poultry and E. coli and streptococcus for swine.  The COVID therapy is the company's first human health product and the first phage product designed to combat viruses.

The company recently closed a successful round of financing, which brings to $15 million its total funding from private investors in Canada and the United States. The oversubscribed financing builds on an exceptional year for Cytophage, that saw a rapidly growing number of products in the animal health space, and will help the company broaden and accelerate product development for both animal and human health.

"Successfully raising investor funds during a pandemic further validates Cytophage's innovative solution to combatting antibiotic-resistant bacteria and viral threats using tailored bacteriophages," said Dr. Theriault.  "We are excited to work with our investors and development partners to bring products to market as quickly as possible to achieve our vision that every hospital, every veterinarian and every agricultural facility will have a supply of Cytophage products to manage any existing or emergent infection or contamination. Our rapid advancements mean we are on pace to initiate a go-public event by year-end."

ADDITIONAL FACTS ABOUT CYTOPHAGE

• 2017 - Cytophage Technologies Inc. is established in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada by Dr. Steven Theriault--the former chief of the Applied Biosafety Research Program at the Public Health Agency of Canada.
• 2018 - Cytophage wins the International Nutreco Feed Tech Challenge for its breakthrough innovation to help feed the world. 
• 10 million – the number of people who will be killed by antibiotic-resistant superbugs every year by 2050, as predicted by the World Health Organization.
• 2018 - Cytophage files its first patent for its technology to create genetically engineered phages to address virtually any bacterial infection in humans or animals, including strains resistant to antibiotics.
• 2019 - Cytophage wins the TechConnect US Defense Innovation Award for its work on the use of bacteriophages against battlefield infections.
• 2020 – Dr. Theriault presents at the World Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) Congress - the world's largest AMR gathering of stakeholders combating antimicrobial resistance.
• 2022 - Cytophage's first commercial product will come to market -- a phage cocktail that prevents and treats Salmonella infections in chickens.
• 10 – the number of Cytophage-created products currently in development to combat illness and antibiotic resistance.

SOURCE Cytophage Technologies Inc.

Barbara Czech, The PRHouse (for Cytophage), Phone: [phone], Email: [email protected]