As long as we're on the topic of university-industry "partnerships"
in response to on-farm problems....
peace
misha
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 7/19/99
>For More Information:
>William Goodger, (608) 263-7896; wgoodger@facstaff.wisc.edu
>Alison Taunton-Rigby, (508) 766-2700
>
>
>Note to editors: Downloadable high-resolution images of Holstein cows are
>available at http://www.news.wisc.edu/newsphotos/cows.html
>
>
>PROMISING MASTITIS TREATMENT TO GET WISCONSIN TEST RUN
>
>MADISON - A new bovine mastitis product that enhances the cow's immune
>system and may curb the costliest disease facing dairy farmers will undergo
>a key trial this year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
>
>A United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) licensing study will be
>conducted at UW-Madison's Charmany Experimental Farm on the mastitis
>product Quilvax-M, developed by the Massachusetts firm Aquila
>Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. Aquila has been working with scientists from
>UW-Madison's School of Veterinary Medicine since 1993 on developing and
>testing the product.
>
>"This is one of three studies that will be run in parallel and is based on
>earlier trials where we were able to demonstrate promising safety,
>immunogenicity and effectiveness," says Alison Taunton-Rigby, president and
>chief executive officer of Aquila, based in Framingham, Mass.
>
>If the licensing study confirms earlier tests, the drug could significantly
>reduce the estimated $2 billion in annual mastitis-related economic losses,
>says William Goodger, a UW-Madison professor of veterinary medicine and
>principal investigator of the trial.
>
>Mastitis, an inflammation in the cow's udder, is caused by bacterial
>infections, the most common culprits being S. aureus and E. coli. The
>disease tends to lower the productivity of the cow and reduce the quality of
>the milk. It often strikes the most productive cows in a herd.
>
>The UW-Madison site will focus on testing the effectiveness of the product
>against the S. aureus bacteria. In the past two months, Goodger says the
>research team has identified 44 Holstein cows from farmers across Wisconsin
>that fit enrollment criteria for the study. They will be treating the cows
>with the product and later challenging the animals with the S. aureus
>bacteria, commonly referred to as "staph."
>
>Goodger says the product helps maintain the normal quality of the milk.
>Cows with mastitis tend to produce milk with a high somatic cell count,
>which are inflammatory white blood cells that greatly devalue the milk.
>
>"In previous trials, we were able to show that the somatic cell counts of
>the animals stayed relatively normal," he says.
>
>The staph bacteria are extremely common on Wisconsin dairy farms, and are
>found to some extent in about 80 percent of the state's herds. "It's a
>chronic disease and farmers have a common line, 'once a staph cow, always a
>staph cow,' " Goodger says. "We had to sample the bulk milk tanks of 600
>herds in Wisconsin to identify 134 farms that had cows testing negative for
>S. aureus. In the past, farmers have gotten frustrated and culled their
>cows (with staph)," he adds. "But that's absolutely the most expensive way
>to treat the disease."
>
>Goodger and co-investigators Chet Thomas, a pathobiological sciences
>professor; and Chris Eisele, a research associate; have collaborated with
>Aquila since 1993. This new study will be a significant milestone in the
>project by proving the product's market benefits and satisfying the USDA's
>requirements of safety and effectiveness.
>
>"This has been a wonderful relationship with the farmers, the veterinarians
>in the field, the UW experts in dairy science and production medicine, and
>the company," Goodger says. "This relationship is what has made this
>research program successful."
>
>Aquila is a life sciences company developing and commercializing a range of
>proprietary products which enhance the immune response in animals and
>humans. Its products are intended for use in treating, controlling and
>preventing infectious diseases, cancers and autoimmune disorders.
>
>The study will run through spring 2000, and Quilvax-M may become
>commercially available later next year.
>###
>- Brian Mattmiller, (608) 262-9772
>
>
>
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>
>Office of News and Public Affairs
>University of Wisconsin-Madison
>28 Bascom Hall
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>Madison, WI 53706
>
>Email: UW-news@facstaff.wisc.edu
>Phone: (608) 262-3571
>Fax: (608) 262-2331
>
>**************************************************************
>* Brian Mattmiller / Office of News and Public Affairs *
>* University of Wisconsin-Madison *
>* Room 25 Bascom Hall / 500 Lincoln Dr. / Madison, WI 53706 *
>* ph: 608/262-9772 / fax: 608/262-2331 *
>**************************************************************
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michele Gale-Sinex
Communications manager
Center for Integrated Ag Systems, UW-Madison
http://www.wisc.edu
UW voice mail: 608-262-8018
Home office: 415-504-6474 (504-MISH)
Home office fax: Same as above, phone first for enabling
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