Medical Biotechnology

A- Antibiotics

The following antibiotics are produced in the laboratory and pilot study has been successfully completed.

1- Penicillin G

2- Streptomycin

3- Lincomycin

4- Erythromycin

5- Cephalosporin C

B- Biopesticide production for mosquitoes control

1- Large scale production and Evaluation & Slow Release Formulation of Bacillus thuringiensis MH-14.

This project started in 1982, is being carried out in 1989 in a joint project of IROST, UNDP and UNESCO (IRA/89/035) up to 1992.

Bt-MH-14 was produced by raw material of country in pilot-plant and different formulations were tested in different area, contaminated by malaria vectors. The slow release formulation is used for large scale production of the product.

Efficacy of MH-14

A- The slow release formulation of MH-14 is unique among commercially available bioinsecticides. In addition it exhibits a 100% control rate against malarial mosquito vectors, as compared to the 65-70% efficiency of similar agents over a 24 hour period.

B- MH-14 maintains consistent toxicity on the surface layer of water, where mosquito larvae breed and feed, for 15-25 day intervals, depending on the formulation used. Other commercially available agent’s toxicity is reduced in the case of Bactimus, to 47% in 24 hours and then down to 20% after a week. Another factor is that these formulations quickly disperse from the water’s surface.

C- Water temperatures impact negatively on Bt.H-14’s efficacy, as do muddy or polluted waters. No such reaction is registered with MH-14. The same holds true for the effects of ultraviolet radiation on Bt.H-14, to which MH-14 is impervious.

D- With an area coverage of 1/7 kg per hectare, MH-14 is decidedly more cost effective than other commercially available products.

2- Production of Bacillus sphaerricus 1593

Laboratory and pilot plant production of Bacillus sphaericus 1593 and its application against Anopheles and Cules mosquitoes is completed.

3- Lactic acid production

Laboratory and pilot plant study has been successfully completed.

4- Cyclosporin A

The mine pilot plant production an strain improvement is successfully completed.

5- Levostatin