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6 March 2008 - 16:00
Patent awarded for method to detect and inactivate prions that cause variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD)Collaboration between Genencor and HPA leads to development of Prionzyme™ Genencor, a division of Danisco, announced today that the Health Protection Agency (HPA) of the U.K. has been awarded a U.S. patent for inactivating prions, which are the causative agents of various forms of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE), including the human variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). The patented method for prion detection and elimination was developed when the HPA came to Genencor to help develop a solution for preventing vCJD transmission. It uses Genencor’s prion-degrading enzyme, Prionzyme™. "This is a pioneering step toward eliminating prion transmission through contamination of medical and dental instruments, which poses a serious health threat to patients," says John Gell, Vice President of Genencor Industrial & Developing Markets. It involves a prion inactivating enzyme, called Prionzyme™, which carries the EU’s CE mark, and is used for equipment disinfection to diminish the spread of vCJD. The enzymatic disinfectant digests and inactivates prions, with a greater than 10 million-fold reduction in infectivity under recommended conditions. U.S. patent number 7,303,907 B2 describes a method by which the enzyme inactivates TSE agents, followed by detection. Extensive analytical testing demonstrated that the 301V prion strain is effectively digested by Prionzyme, with subsequent bioassays confirming the elimination of TSE infectivity. Prionzyme is compatible with equipment and instruments, and is safe for workers in sterilization centers. It is commercially available for decontaminating medical and dental equipment in a presoak or in automated washers/disinfectors. About vCJDBovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as Mad Cow Disease, can be transmitted from cattle to man, presumably via contaminated meat. More than 200 cases of vCJD in humans have been diagnosed to date, although the exact number of people incubating the disease is unknown. The infectious agent is a prion (a self-replicating infectious protein) that is difficult to inactivate and resists high temperatures. It can be spread from human to human through exposure to contaminated surgical/dental equipment or blood transfusion. vCJD has been detected in tissues throughout the body, including the nervous system, lymph nodes, eye tissue, brain, and tonsils. About HPAThe Health Protection Agency (HPA) is an independent body in the U.K. that protects the health and well-being of the population. The agency plays a critical role in protecting people from infectious diseases and in preventing harm when hazards involving chemicals, poisons or radiation occur. HPA also prepares for new and emerging threats, such as a bio-terrorist attack or a virulent new strain of disease.
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