French Biotechnology Group Lesaffre Expands Its Phage Strategy Through a Strategic Partnership With Chilean Company PhageLab
A strategic partnership between two biotechnology companies
On 30 October 2026, Phileo by Lesaffre and Chilean biotechnology company PhageLab announced a strategic partnership to develop and commercialise bacteriophage-based solutions for poultry production. Their collaboration will initially target two major bacterial pathogens, Salmonella and pathogenic Escherichia coli, with the ambition of improving animal health, production performance and food safety. The companies intend to begin deploying their solutions in Latin America before progressively expanding their activities internationally.
The agreement brings together two companies with complementary expertise. Phileo contributes its experience in microbial solutions, animal nutrition and feed additives, as well as its international commercial network. PhageLab brings its bacteriophage research, bacterial diagnostic capabilities and technology for developing targeted phage formulations. Their objective is to combine these capabilities to provide poultry producers with more precise tools for controlling bacterial infections and reducing their dependence on conventional antimicrobial treatments.
For Lesaffre, this partnership also illustrates the growing importance of bacteriophages within the animal health biotechnology sector. The French group is not entering the field for the first time: Phileo already has a dedicated bacteriophage portfolio and has developed its Safelix® range around the use of phages in poultry production. The agreement with PhageLab therefore represents an opportunity to strengthen and expand an existing strategic area rather than simply introduce a completely new technology into its activities.
Lesaffre: a French industrial group with a growing presence in biotechnology
Founded in 1853 in Marquette-lez-Lille, in northern France, Lesaffre has developed from a family business specialising in fermentation into a major international biotechnology group. Its historical activities were built around yeast production, but its expertise has progressively expanded into fermentation processes, microorganisms, food ingredients and biotechnology applications. Today, the group reports approximately 11,700 employees, annual revenue of €3.2 billion and operations in more than 60 countries. Its products are distributed in around 180 countries.
This industrial background is particularly relevant to the development of bacteriophage-based products. The production of phages at commercial scale requires specialised biological processes, rigorous quality control and the ability to maintain consistent product characteristics. Lesaffre's experience in microbial production and industrial biotechnology provides an established industrial environment in which such technologies can be developed and commercialised.
The partnership is being conducted through Phileo by Lesaffre, the group's business division dedicated to animal nutrition and health. Based in the Lille metropolitan area, Phileo develops microbial solutions intended to support animal health, digestive function and production performance. Its portfolio includes products based on live yeasts, bacteria and yeast derivatives, with applications across poultry, livestock, aquaculture and other animal production sectors.
Bacteriophages have become an increasingly important component of this portfolio. Through its Safelix® range, Phileo aims to use the specificity of phages to control bacterial pathogens in poultry production. The company presents this approach as complementary to its existing microbial technologies, with the objective of improving flock health while supporting more responsible antimicrobial use.
The involvement of a major French biotechnology group is noteworthy because it connects phage research with an established industrial and international distribution network. The development of phage products is not limited to identifying viruses capable of infecting bacteria. It also requires reliable manufacturing, formulation, storage, quality assurance and regulatory strategies. These industrial considerations are essential if bacteriophage applications are to move beyond laboratory research and become widely used products.
PhageLab: a Chilean biotechnology company specialising in bacteriophage applications
The second partner, PhageLab, was founded in Chile in 2010 and has developed its activities around bacteriophage-based solutions for animal health. The company is headquartered in Santiago, where its research and development and production activities are based at the UC Anacleto Angelini Innovation Center. It also lists an operational address in Curitiba, Brazil, reflecting its presence in the Latin American biotechnology and agricultural sectors.
PhageLab focuses on developing bacteriophage formulations adapted to the bacterial populations encountered in livestock and poultry production environments. Rather than relying exclusively on predefined phage products, its approach combines bacterial diagnostics, genomic information and phage selection to identify combinations adapted to specific pathogens and production conditions.
According to information published by the company, its platform draws on a collection of more than 1,000 bacteriophages and a database containing over 3,100 characterised pathogenic bacterial isolates. PhageLab also reports that its diagnostic and development workflow can process samples within approximately 14 to 25 days, with certain bioinformatic analyses completed in around ten hours. These figures are company-reported performance indicators and should be interpreted as such rather than as independently validated measures of efficacy.
The central principle behind this approach is that the effectiveness of a bacteriophage depends on the compatibility between the virus and its bacterial host. Two bacterial isolates belonging to the same species may differ considerably in their susceptibility to a particular phage. This is especially relevant for organisms such as E. coli, which includes a large diversity of strains with different pathogenic properties and resistance profiles.
By combining bacterial characterisation with phage selection, PhageLab seeks to develop formulations that are better adapted to the pathogens circulating in individual production environments. This approach is particularly relevant to intensive poultry production, where bacterial populations can vary between farms, geographical regions and production cycles.
PhageLab already has commercial products in animal health
The partnership with Phileo is particularly interesting because PhageLab already has a portfolio of bacteriophage-based products. Its existing commercial activities demonstrate that the company has moved beyond laboratory development and has experience deploying phage formulations in livestock and poultry production. Its official product portfolio identifies three named solutions: INSPEKTOR®, FÓRMIDA® and PHAGEIN. The first two target bacterial pathogens in poultry, while the third is intended for the prevention of infectious diarrhoea in calves.
INSPEKTOR® is PhageLab's bacteriophage-based solution against Salmonella in poultry. It is a liquid zootechnical additive containing naturally isolated bacteriophages without genetic modification. The product is designed to target the most prevalent Salmonella serovars in specific geographical areas, rather than relying on a single universal formulation. It is administered through drinking water during the rearing period. The company describes a standard formulation of one litre per 20,000 birds and a concentrated version of 250 millilitres per 25,000 birds, with applications at intervals of two to seven days.
PhageLab reports particularly substantial results for INSPEKTOR®. According to its published product information, the formulation achieved more than 85% inhibition across over 1,000 Salmonella strains tested in Brazil. The company also reports reductions in bacterial loads in the crop, caecum and faeces ranging from two to six logarithmic units. The targeted serovars include Salmonella Minnesota, S. Heidelberg and S. Typhimurium, which are relevant to poultry production and food safety. PhageLab further refers to a 2024 field study showing a significant reduction in Salmonella concentrations in poultry production, alongside laboratory and in vivo investigations.
These figures are important because they provide an indication of the scale at which PhageLab is already applying its technology. However, the company's website does not provide all the methodological details necessary to independently assess the reported percentages, including complete experimental protocols, control conditions and confidence intervals. The figures should therefore be presented as company-reported results rather than as universally established efficacy estimates.
FÓRMIDA® is the second poultry product and specifically targets avian pathogenic Escherichia coli strains associated with colibacillosis. This disease can cause respiratory infections, systemic disease, lesions and mortality in poultry flocks, generating significant economic losses. FÓRMIDA is a liquid additive containing naturally isolated bacteriophages and is administered through drinking water. PhageLab recommends a dosage of one litre per 20,000 birds, with applications at intervals of two to seven days during the rearing period.
The company reports that FÓRMIDA reduces clinical signs of colibacillosis by 42%. When administered alongside conventional treatments against avian pathogenic E. coli, it is reported to reduce lesions associated with aerosacculitis and pericarditis by 76%. PhageLab also reports a 50% reduction in the prevalence of colibacillosis when the product is combined with conventional treatments. These results are particularly relevant in the context of antimicrobial resistance, as the company positions FÓRMIDA as a complementary tool rather than a complete replacement for antibiotic treatment.
The scientific context behind this product is also noteworthy. PhageLab refers to a 2024 laboratory study examining 142 E. coli isolates collected from Brazilian broiler farms. More than 60% of these isolates reportedly carried genes associated with resistance to at least three antibiotic classes. This illustrates the diversity and antimicrobial resistance burden of bacterial populations encountered in poultry production, and explains why the company places particular emphasis on bacterial characterisation before selecting phage combinations.
The third product, PHAGEIN, was developed by PhageLab and is distributed by MSD Animal Health. Unlike INSPEKTOR and FÓRMIDA, it is designed for calves rather than poultry. PHAGEIN is a powdered feed additive containing bacteriophages targeting E. coli and Salmonella spp., with the objective of preventing infectious diarrhoea in young ruminants. It is administered once daily, at a dose of one gram per animal, diluted in milk replacer or milk. The recommended period of use begins on the first day of life and extends over 30 to 70 days.
PhageLab reports that PHAGEIN reduces bacterial growth by 28.1% for Salmonella Typhimurium and by 37.7% for E. coli. The company also reports improvements in diarrhoea duration, daily weight gain and weaning weight, including a 7.3% increase in daily weight gain. In an earlier communication about its development for MSD, PhageLab additionally reported a 70% reduction in antibiotic use. This last figure should be treated cautiously because the publicly available communication does not provide sufficient methodological detail to establish the conditions under which it was obtained.
The commercial development of PHAGEIN is particularly significant because it demonstrates that PhageLab's technology has already reached a distribution partnership with a major international animal health company. MSD Animal Health's involvement provides a concrete example of how a specialised phage biotechnology company can collaborate with an established veterinary pharmaceutical group to bring a product to livestock producers.
Beyond individual products, PhageLab publishes figures illustrating the reported scale of its operations. On its official website, the company states that approximately 170 million chickens have been treated in Latin America and that one billion doses have been applied in the poultry industry. It also reports five million doses administered in cattle production and 100,000 calves treated in Latin America. These figures are presented as the company's overall track record; they should not be attributed to a single product or interpreted as independent efficacy measurements. Nevertheless, they suggest that PhageLab has experience with large-scale deployment of bacteriophage solutions in commercial farming environments.
Taken together, INSPEKTOR, FÓRMIDA and PHAGEIN show that PhageLab already operates across several animal health applications. More importantly for the new partnership, its existing poultry products address precisely the two bacterial targets announced by Phileo: Salmonella and pathogenic E. coli. The collaboration may therefore build on existing products, field experience and technical capabilities rather than starting from an entirely new research programme.
Why target Salmonella and avian pathogenic E. coli?
The partnership focuses on two bacterial challenges with major implications for poultry production and public health.
Salmonella remains one of the most important foodborne pathogens associated with poultry and poultry products. Contamination can occur at several stages of the production chain, including on farms, during slaughter and through subsequent food handling. Infected birds may carry the bacterium without displaying obvious clinical signs, making surveillance and control particularly important. Reducing the bacterial burden in poultry populations could therefore contribute to limiting contamination further along the food chain.
Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli, commonly referred to as APEC, represents a different but equally important challenge. Certain E. coli strains are responsible for colibacillosis, a disease associated with respiratory infections, systemic infections and significant economic losses in poultry production. APEC infections can increase mortality, reduce growth performance and generate substantial treatment costs. The situation is complicated by the diversity of pathogenic strains and the presence of antimicrobial resistance, which can restrict the effectiveness of conventional antibiotics.
Bacteriophages offer a potentially complementary approach because they infect bacteria rather than directly targeting animal cells. Their specificity makes it possible to select viruses capable of attacking particular bacterial populations while having a more limited effect on other microorganisms. In principle, this could help preserve parts of the intestinal microbiota while reducing the abundance of targeted pathogens.
However, this specificity also represents a technical challenge. A phage that efficiently infects one E. coli isolate may have little or no activity against another isolate of the same species. Developing effective formulations therefore requires the selection of suitable phages and, frequently, the combination of several viruses into cocktails designed to cover a broader range of bacterial strains.
The use of phage cocktails also raises questions about bacterial resistance to phages. Bacteria can evolve mechanisms that prevent adsorption, interfere with viral replication or otherwise reduce phage susceptibility. Continuous monitoring of bacterial populations and the adaptation of formulations are therefore important elements of a sustainable phage-based control strategy.
Combining diagnostics, artificial intelligence and bacteriophage selection
One of the most interesting aspects of the collaboration is the integration of PhageLab's technological platform with Phileo's existing bacteriophage portfolio.
Phileo describes its research and development approach through its Next Phage Intelligence platform, which combines genomics, microbiology and artificial intelligence. The objective is to better understand the diversity of bacterial pathogens, identify suitable bacteriophages and develop cocktails with complementary activity. According to the company, its development process combines computational analyses with experimental testing, allowing candidate formulations to be evaluated both in silico and in vitro.
This type of approach reflects a broader development in phage research. The selection of bacteriophages is increasingly supported by genomic characterisation, computational prediction and systematic assessment of phage-host interactions. These tools can help researchers identify candidate viruses more efficiently, understand the genetic determinants of host range and investigate potential interactions between phages and bacterial defence mechanisms.
Nevertheless, computational predictions cannot replace experimental validation. A predicted interaction does not automatically demonstrate that a phage will efficiently infect and eliminate a bacterial strain under real production conditions. Factors such as bacterial physiology, environmental conditions, phage stability and the composition of the microbial community can all influence performance.
The companies also emphasise the importance of monitoring bacterial susceptibility over time. Phileo's Pathogen Surveillance Program is intended to track the sensitivity of bacterial populations encountered on farms and identify emerging strains that could reduce the effectiveness of existing formulations. This is particularly important in agricultural environments, where bacterial populations may evolve under selective pressure and where a formulation developed for one epidemiological context may not perform identically in another.
Potential implications for poultry production and food safety
The partnership is intended to address several interconnected challenges in poultry production. By reducing the abundance of targeted pathogens, the companies aim to improve flock health, limit production losses and reduce the risk of bacterial contamination entering the food chain.
Phileo reports that field trials conducted in commercial production units using its bacteriophage solutions against APEC have shown noticeable reductions in bird mortality. The company also describes applications targeting a broad range of Salmonella serovars, with the objective of reducing bacterial carriage in the digestive tract and limiting contamination risks. These results are encouraging from an industrial perspective, but the publicly available information does not provide sufficient independent clinical data to establish the magnitude and reproducibility of these effects across different production systems.
It is therefore important to distinguish between the companies' reported field observations and independently published evidence. The partnership announcement does not itself constitute a clinical validation study, nor does it establish that the products will produce identical outcomes across all farms or geographical regions.
The potential contribution to antimicrobial stewardship is nevertheless significant. Antibiotics remain essential for treating bacterial infections in animals, but their use must be carefully managed to limit the emergence and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance. Phage-based products could provide an additional tool for controlling specific bacterial pathogens, potentially reducing the need for certain antimicrobial interventions when used appropriately.
They should not, however, be presented as universal replacements for antibiotics. Their effectiveness depends on bacterial susceptibility, formulation quality, delivery conditions and the epidemiological context. In practice, phages are more likely to become part of integrated health management strategies combining vaccination, biosecurity, microbiological surveillance, nutrition and appropriate antimicrobial use.
What does this partnership mean for France and Europe?
The agreement has particular significance for France because Phileo is part of Lesaffre, a major French biotechnology group with historical roots in the Hauts-de-France region. Its participation demonstrates that bacteriophage applications are attracting interest beyond specialised phage biotechnology companies and academic research laboratories. Established industrial groups are increasingly exploring how phage-based technologies can be incorporated into existing animal health and nutrition portfolios.
For the French biotechnology ecosystem, this is an interesting example of the growing connection between microbial biotechnology, industrial production and international commercialisation. France has a substantial scientific presence in bacteriophage research, as well as industrial expertise in fermentation, microbiology and biological manufacturing. Partnerships involving established industrial groups may help create opportunities for translating scientific knowledge into products that can be manufactured and distributed at scale.
However, the geographical implications of the announcement should not be overstated. The companies have indicated that the first phase of the partnership will focus on Latin America, with an ambition to expand globally. They have not announced a new phage production facility in France, a specific European launch date or a dedicated French research programme resulting from this agreement. The international ambitions of the partnership should therefore be distinguished from confirmed operational developments in Europe.
Regulatory considerations will also be important. Bacteriophage-based products intended for animal production must comply with the applicable rules in each market, and regulatory requirements may differ according to the product's composition, intended use and classification. The fact that a product is marketed in one country does not automatically mean that it can be commercialised under the same conditions in France or elsewhere in the European Union. The registration of a trademark in a territory should also not be confused with regulatory authorisation to sell a specific product there.
For Lesaffre, the partnership nevertheless provides an opportunity to strengthen its position in a field that could become increasingly important as the agricultural sector seeks alternatives and complements to conventional antimicrobial strategies. For PhageLab, working with an established international group may facilitate access to new markets and accelerate the industrial deployment of its technology.
A further step towards the industrialisation of bacteriophage applications
The partnership between Phileo by Lesaffre and PhageLab illustrates how bacteriophage technology is progressively moving into industrial animal health applications. By combining a French group's experience in microbial solutions and international commercialisation with a Chilean company's specialisation in phage research and development, the two partners aim to address persistent bacterial challenges in poultry production.
The existence of commercial products such as INSPEKTOR and FÓRMIDA is particularly relevant to understanding the agreement. PhageLab already has solutions targeting Salmonella and avian pathogenic E. coli, supported by reported experience in commercial poultry production. PHAGEIN, developed with MSD Animal Health, further demonstrates the company's ability to bring phage-based products into the livestock market through an established distribution partner.
The next important step will be to assess the performance of these solutions under real production conditions and to obtain more detailed, independently accessible data on their efficacy, safety and long-term reliability. Their ability to maintain activity against diverse bacterial populations, while accounting for the emergence of phage resistance, will be particularly important.
For the French biotechnology sector, the agreement is another indication that bacteriophages are becoming part of broader industrial strategies in microbial biotechnology. Although the first deployment is planned for Latin America, the involvement of Lesaffre gives the partnership a clear French dimension and places the development of phage-based animal health solutions within the strategy of one of France's major international biotechnology groups.
Sources :
Phileo by Lesaffre, Safelix® – Innovation in Precision Pathogen Control. https://phileo-lesaffre.com/en/bacteriophages/
PhageLab, INSPEKTOR®. https://phage-lab.com/inspektor/
PhageLab, FÓRMIDA®. https://phage-lab.com/formida/
PhageLab, PHAGEIN. https://phage-lab.com/phagein/
PhageLab, Our Development for MSD. https://phage-lab.com/2023/02/09/our-development-for-msd/
PhageLab, Technology and Bacteriophage Development Platform. https://phage-lab.com/technology/
PhageLab, Official Website and Company Information. https://phage-lab.com/
Lesaffre, Our History. https://www.lesaffre.com/fr/groupe/notre-histoire/
Lesaffre, The Group. https://www.lesaffre.com/group/
Feed & Additive Magazine, Phileo and PhageLab Partner on Bacteriophage Solutions for Poultry, 30 October 2026. https://www.feedandadditive.com/phileo-and-phagelab-partner-on-bacteriophage-solutions-for-poultry/
eFeedLink, Phileo and PhageLab Partner on Bacteriophage Solutions Against Salmonella and E. coli in Poultry, 30 October 2026. https://www.efeedlink.com/articles/phileo-and-phagelab-partner-on-bacteriophage-solutions-against-salmonella-and-e-coli-in-poultry/
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