Imugene enhancer best in show

Imugene (ASX: IMU) has reported a dramatic enhancement of poultry growth using its novel, antibiotic-free, hormone-free growth enhancer.

The 900-bird trial of the company's poultry productivity enhancer -- an adenovirus delivery vector expressing a cytokine-based productivity enhancer -- was designed to optimise the dosage and administration schedule. It looked at the use of the product in combination with feed containing antibiotics -- commonly used to promote growth -- and in antibiotic-free feed.

The results demonstrated that Imugene's product boosted weight gains by between 9.5 and 13.75 per cent in birds that were fed a combination of the enhancer and antibiotics in feed, compared with those receiving antibiotic feed alone. Birds fed antibiotic-free feed plus the enhancer posted gains of 7.2 to 13.2 per cent, compared to birds on antibiotic-free feed only. And all treated birds exceeded current industry best standard for weight by the end of the trial.

"We've always known it works and is effective," said managing director Warwick Lamb. "[But] in this latest product development trial we were able to improve the productivity dramatically."

The results mean that Imugene's product will be able to be used in countries that still use antibiotics in feed as well as in countries where the use of antibiotics is being phased out.

Now the company is gearing up to produce the masterseed -- the parent seed stock used to produce commercial batches of the enhancer -- in conjunction with its partner Merial. Masterseed production is expected to be completed by early 2005, and will be followed by regulatory trials to determine potency, purity and shelf life.

Lamb said the company was awaiting approval from the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator to conduct large-scale commercial and regulatory trials using product produced from the masterseed.

"We're hoping to receive approval in early 2005 -- we should have everything ready to go when we get approval," he said.

Imugene's share price rose more than 10 per cent to close at AUD$0.31 yesterday on the strength of the announcement.