TopAct™:
Turning Food Bacteria into ActoBiotics™
ActoBiotics™ are created using TopAct™, a proprietary platform technology that makes it possible to genetically engineer non-pathogenic bacteria so they become effective vehicles for the delivery of therapeutic proteins and peptides into the GI tract. ActoGeniX has chosen the food bacterium Lactococcus lactis as the preferred microorganism for the application of TopAct™. Lactococcus lactis has been used for thousands of years in preparation of food products such as yoghurt and cheese and is widely recognized as completely safe for human consumption.
TopAct™:
Targeting the GI System
The human gastrointestinal (GI) system is a large and complex organ, integrating multiple physiological processes ranging from food intake to regulation of immunity, energy balance and metabolism. Hence, he GI system is an attractive target organ for the oral delivery of selective protein and peptide drugs that can interfere with these crucial processes to treat a variety of important diseases.
The TopAct™ technology of ActoGeniX provides an elegant solution by delivering active biological drugs into the GI tract, through the use of living, non-pathogenic bacteria as carriers. These so-called ActoBiotics™ deliver their therapeutic proteins or peptides locally, in close proximity of the relevant GI receptors. Because of the large diversity of pharmacologically relevant receptors present in the gut, TopAct™ can address a broad variety of diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, metabolic disorders, autoimmune diseases and allergic diseases.