Deal with Kraft foods21 Apr 2009 14:02
TyraTech and Kraft to develop foods to prevent parasitic infection
TyraTech LLC, a developer of an entirely new class of safe and effective insecticides and parasiticides, has signed an exclusive co-development agreement with Kraft Foods Inc. for the development of compounds used in functional foods and beverages intended to help prevent human parasitic infection in the developing world.
The agreement gives Kraft rights to TyraTech’s technology platform, allowing the rapid development of new formulations initially targeted at human parasites which afflict more than 2 billion people worldwide according to the World Health Organization.
While there are a range of treatments currently in use that are effective in killing some parasites, none can be used regularly to prevent future infection. As a result, some people become re-infected shortly after treatment, and the cycle of infection continues unabated. By contrast, TryaTech’s screening platform has the potential to identify combinations of natural ingredients that are highly effective and safe such that they can be used on an on-going basis to stop the cycle of re-infection.
Considering the wide-scale incidence of parasitic infection in people around the world, the need for a functional food to combat parasites on an ongoing basis is an entirely new market with significant potential. Once commercialized, these foods will offer a unique and affordable solution that can easily fit into consumers’ n