TED@BCG Toronto
Alexander Belcredi: How a long-forgotten virus could help us solve the antibiotics crisis
Alexander Belcredi: Como un virus xa esquecido nos pode axudar a pór fin á crise dos antibióticos
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Os virus teñen unha mala reputación, pero algúns deles poderían salvarche a vida algún día, di o emprendedor en biotecnoloxía Alexander Belcredi. Nesta fascinante charla, preséntanos os fagos, uns virus naturais que cazan e matan bacterias daniñas con altísima precisión, e móstranos como estes organismos, antes esquecidos, poderían achegar novas esperanzas na loita contra a crecente ameaza das bacterias resistentes ós antibióticos.
Alexander Belcredi - Biotech entrepreneur
Alexander Belcredi studies how viruses can help in the fight against superbugs. Full bio
Alexander Belcredi studies how viruses can help in the fight against superbugs. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
Take a moment
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Detédevos un momento,
00:14
and think about a virus.
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e pensade nun virus.
00:16
What comes to your mind?
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Que vos vén á cabeza?
00:18
An illness?
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Unha doenza?
00:20
A fear?
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Medo?
00:21
Probably something really unpleasant.
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De seguro algo moi desagradable.
00:23
And yet, viruses are not all the same.
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Porén, non todos os virus son iguais.
00:25
It's true, some of them cause
devastating disease.
devastating disease.
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É certo, algúns deles
causan doenzas devastadoras.
causan doenzas devastadoras.
00:29
But others can do the exact opposite --
they can cure disease.
they can cure disease.
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Pero outros poden facer xusto o contrario:
curar doenzas
curar doenzas
00:33
These viruses are called "phages."
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Estes virus chámanse "fagos".
00:36
Now, the first time I heard
about phages was back in 2013.
about phages was back in 2013.
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A primeira vez que oín falar
dos fagos foi no 2013.
dos fagos foi no 2013.
00:39
My father-in-law, who's a surgeon,
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Meu sogro, que é cirurxián,
00:41
was telling me about a woman
he was treating.
he was treating.
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faloume sobre unha muller
á que estaba tratando.
á que estaba tratando.
00:44
The woman had a knee injury,
required multiple surgeries,
required multiple surgeries,
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Tiña unha ferida no xeonllo
que precisou múltiples operacións,
que precisou múltiples operacións,
00:47
and over the course of these,
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e durante o proceso
00:48
developed a chronic
bacterial infection in her leg.
bacterial infection in her leg.
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desenvolveu na perna
unha infección bacteriana crónica.
unha infección bacteriana crónica.
Por desgraza, as bacterias
causantes da infección non respondían
causantes da infección non respondían
00:51
Unfortunately for her,
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00:52
the bacteria causing the infection
also did not respond
also did not respond
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00:55
to any antibiotic that was available.
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a ningún antibiótico dispoñible.
00:58
So at this point, typically, the only
option left is to amputate the leg
option left is to amputate the leg
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Chegados a este punto, a única opción
que quedaba era amputar a perna
que quedaba era amputar a perna
01:02
to stop the infection
from spreading further.
from spreading further.
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para evitar que a infección
se espallase máis.
se espallase máis.
01:05
Now, my father-in-law was desperate
for a different kind of solution,
for a different kind of solution,
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Meu sogro buscaba
desesperadamente outra solución
desesperadamente outra solución
01:08
and he applied for an experimental,
last-resort treatment using phages.
last-resort treatment using phages.
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e optou por un tratamento experimental
empregando fagos como último recurso.
empregando fagos como último recurso.
01:13
And guess what? It worked.
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E adiviñade o que pasou. Funcionou.
01:15
Within three weeks of applying the phages,
the chronic infection had healed up,
the chronic infection had healed up,
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Tres semanas despois de empregar os fagos,
a infección crónica curou,
a infección crónica curou,
01:19
where before, no antibiotic was working.
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aínda cando ningún antibiótico funcionara.
01:22
I was fascinated by this weird conception:
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Fascinoume esta peculiar idea:
01:27
viruses curing an infection.
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un virus que cura unha infección.
01:30
To this day, I am fascinated
by the medical potential of phages.
by the medical potential of phages.
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Ata hoxe, sigo abraiado
coas posibilidades médicas dos fagos.
coas posibilidades médicas dos fagos.
01:34
And I actually quit my job last year
to build a company in this space.
to build a company in this space.
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E de feito o ano pasado deixei o traballo
para crear unha empresa neste ámbito.
para crear unha empresa neste ámbito.
01:38
Now, what is a phage?
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Agora ben, que é un fago?
01:41
The image that you see here was taken
by an electron microscope.
by an electron microscope.
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A imaxe que vedes aquí foi tomada
cun microscopio electrónico.
cun microscopio electrónico.
01:45
And that means what we see on the screen
is in reality extremely tiny.
is in reality extremely tiny.
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Iso significa que o que se ve en pantalla
é en realidade extremadamente minúsculo.
é en realidade extremadamente minúsculo.
01:49
The grainy thing in the middle
with the head, the long body
with the head, the long body
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Esa cousa granulada do medio cunha cabeza,
un corpo longo
un corpo longo
01:53
and a number of feet --
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e uns cantos pés
01:54
this is the image of a prototypical phage.
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é a imaxe dun fago prototípico.
01:57
It's kind of cute.
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A que é riquiño?
01:58
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
02:00
Now, take a look at your hand.
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Agora, ollade a vosa man.
02:03
In our team, we've estimated
that you have more than 10 billion phages
that you have more than 10 billion phages
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No noso equipo, estimamos que tedes
máis de 10 mil millóns de fagos
máis de 10 mil millóns de fagos
02:08
on each of your hands.
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en cada unha das mans.
02:09
What are they doing there?
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Que están facendo aí?
02:11
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
02:12
Well, viruses are good at infecting cells.
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Pois ben, os virus son bos
infectando células
infectando células
02:15
And phages are great
at infecting bacteria.
at infecting bacteria.
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E os fagos dedícanse a infectar bacterias.
02:18
And your hand, just like
so much of our body,
so much of our body,
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A vosa man, como a maior parte
do voso corpo,
do voso corpo,
02:20
is a hotbed of bacterial activity,
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é un fervedoiro de actividade bacteriana,
02:22
making it an ideal
hunting ground for phages.
hunting ground for phages.
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o que a fai un lugar perfecto de caza
para os fagos.
para os fagos.
02:26
Because after all, phages hunt bacteria.
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Xa que ó fin e ó cabo,
os fagos cazan bacterias.
os fagos cazan bacterias.
Tamén é importante saber
que son cazadores moi selectivos.
que son cazadores moi selectivos.
02:29
It's also important to know that phages
are extremely selective hunters.
are extremely selective hunters.
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02:34
Typically, a phage will only infect
a single bacterial species.
a single bacterial species.
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Normalmente un fago só pode infectar
unha especie bacteriana.
unha especie bacteriana.
02:38
So in this rendering here,
the phage that you see
the phage that you see
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O fago que vedes aquí
nesta representación,
nesta representación,
02:41
hunts for a bacterium
called Staphylococcus aureus,
called Staphylococcus aureus,
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caza unha bacteria chamada
Staphylococcus aureus,
Staphylococcus aureus,
02:44
which is known as MRSA
in its drug-resistant form.
in its drug-resistant form.
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que se coñece como SARM
na súa forma resistente ós antibióticos.
na súa forma resistente ós antibióticos.
02:48
It causes skin or wound infections.
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Causa infeccións na pel ou en feridas.
02:51
The way the phage hunts is with its feet.
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Os fagos cazan cos pés
En realidade, os pés son receptores
extremadamente sensibles,
extremadamente sensibles,
02:54
The feet are actually extremely
sensitive receptors,
sensitive receptors,
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02:56
on the lookout for the right surface
on a bacterial cell.
on a bacterial cell.
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que buscan unha superficie en particular
nas células bacterianas.
nas células bacterianas.
03:00
Once it finds it,
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Unha vez atopada,
03:01
the phage will latch on
to the bacterial cell wall
to the bacterial cell wall
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o fago acóplase
á parede celular da bacteria
á parede celular da bacteria
03:04
and then inject its DNA.
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e despois inxecta o seu ADN.
03:06
DNA sits in the head of the phage
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O ADN atópase na cabeza do fago
03:08
and travels into the bacteria
through the long body.
through the long body.
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e viaxa ata a bacteria a través
do corpo longo.
do corpo longo.
03:11
At this point, the phage
reprograms the bacteria
reprograms the bacteria
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Neste intre, o fago reprograma a bacteria
03:14
into producing lots of new phages.
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para producir unha morea de novos fagos.
03:16
The bacteria, in effect,
becomes a phage factory.
becomes a phage factory.
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Deste xeito, a bacteria
convértese nunha fábrica de fagos.
convértese nunha fábrica de fagos.
03:19
Once around 50-100 phages have accumulated
within the bacteria cell,
within the bacteria cell,
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Cando se acumulan entre 50 e 100 fagos
dentro da célula bacteriana
dentro da célula bacteriana
03:23
the phages are then able
to release a protein
to release a protein
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estes xa son capaces
de liberar unha proteína
de liberar unha proteína
03:26
that disrupts the bacteria cell wall.
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que rompe a parede celular da bacteria.
03:28
As the bacteria bursts,
the phages move out
the phages move out
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Ó estalar a bacteria libéranse os fagos
03:31
and go on the hunt again
for a new bacteria to infect.
for a new bacteria to infect.
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e van de caza outra vez
para infectar unha nova bacteria.
para infectar unha nova bacteria.
03:35
Now, I'm sorry, this probably
sounded like a scary virus again.
sounded like a scary virus again.
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Síntoo, se cadra isto tamén
semella un arrepiante virus.
semella un arrepiante virus.
03:39
But it's exactly this ability of phages --
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Pero esta capacidade específica dos fagos,
a de multiplicárense dentro de bacterias
e despois matalas,
e despois matalas,
03:41
to multiply within the bacteria
and then kill them --
and then kill them --
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03:44
that make them so interesting
from a medical point of view.
from a medical point of view.
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é a que os fai tan interesantes
dende un punto de vista médico.
dende un punto de vista médico.
O outro aspecto que considero
de sumo interese
de sumo interese
03:47
The other part that I find
extremely interesting
extremely interesting
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03:50
is the scale at which this is going on.
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é a escala a que isto acontece.
03:52
Now, just five years ago,
I really had no clue about phages.
I really had no clue about phages.
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Hai cinco anos non
tiña nin idea sobre fagos
tiña nin idea sobre fagos
03:55
And yet, today I would tell you
they are part of a natural principle.
they are part of a natural principle.
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Pero hoxe podo afirmar
que son parte dun principio natural.
que son parte dun principio natural.
03:59
Phages and bacteria go back
to the earliest days of evolution.
to the earliest days of evolution.
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Os fagos e as bacterias remóntanse
ós primeiros días da evolución.
ós primeiros días da evolución.
04:03
They have always existed in tandem,
keeping each other in check.
keeping each other in check.
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Sempre existiron conxuntamente
controlándose entre si.
controlándose entre si.
04:07
So this is really the story of yin
and yang, of the hunter and the prey,
and yang, of the hunter and the prey,
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De feito, é a historia
do yin e o yang, a do o cazador e a presa,
do yin e o yang, a do o cazador e a presa,
04:11
at a microscopic level.
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a nivel microscópico.
04:14
Some scientists have even estimated
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Algúns científicos ata consideran
04:16
that phages are the most
abundant organism on our planet.
abundant organism on our planet.
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que os fagos son os organismos
máis abundantes do planeta.
máis abundantes do planeta.
04:20
So even before we continue
talking about their medical potential,
talking about their medical potential,
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Así que antes de seguir falando
do seu potencial médico,
do seu potencial médico,
04:23
I think everybody should know
about phages and their role on earth:
about phages and their role on earth:
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penso que todos deberíamos coñecer
os fagos e o seu papel na Terra:
os fagos e o seu papel na Terra:
04:27
they hunt, infect and kill bacteria.
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cazan, infectan e destrúen bacterias.
04:30
Now, how come we have something
that works so well in nature,
that works so well in nature,
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Como é que temos algo
que funciona tan ben na natureza,
que funciona tan ben na natureza,
04:33
every day, everywhere around us,
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todo o tempo, en calquera lugar,
e aínda así na maior parte do mundo
04:35
and yet, in most parts of the world,
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non hai unha menciña no mercado
04:37
we do not have a single drug on the market
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04:39
that uses this principle
to combat bacterial infections?
to combat bacterial infections?
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que empregue este principio
para combater infeccións bacterianas?
para combater infeccións bacterianas?
04:43
The simple answer is: no one
has developed this kind of a drug yet,
has developed this kind of a drug yet,
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A resposta sinxela é: non se desenvolveu
aínda unha menciña deste tipo,
aínda unha menciña deste tipo,
polo menos unha que cumpra
cos estándares de regulación occidentais,
cos estándares de regulación occidentais,
04:47
at least not one that conforms
to the Western regulatory standards
to the Western regulatory standards
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04:50
that set the norm
for so much of the world.
for so much of the world.
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que serven de referencia
para a maioría do mundo.
para a maioría do mundo.
04:53
To understand why,
we need to move back in time.
we need to move back in time.
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Para enterdermos o porqué,
é preciso mirarmos cara ao pasado.
é preciso mirarmos cara ao pasado.
04:57
This is a picture of Félix d'Herelle.
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Esta é unha foto de Félix d'Herelle.
04:59
He is one of the two scientists
credited with discovering phages.
credited with discovering phages.
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É un dos dous científicos ós que
se atribúe o descubrimento dos fagos.
se atribúe o descubrimento dos fagos.
05:02
Except, when he discovered them
back in 1917, he had no clue
back in 1917, he had no clue
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Aínda que cando os descubriu en 1917
non tiña idea
non tiña idea
05:06
what he had discovered.
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do que acababa de descubrir.
05:08
He was interested in a disease
called bacillary dysentery,
called bacillary dysentery,
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Estaba interesado nunha enfermidade
chamada disentería bacilar,
chamada disentería bacilar,
05:12
which is a bacterial infection
that causes severe diarrhea,
that causes severe diarrhea,
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unha infección bacteriana
que provoca diarrea aguda
que provoca diarrea aguda
e que estaba matando unha morea de xente,
05:14
and back then, was actually
killing a lot of people,
killing a lot of people,
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xa que daquela aínda non había cura
para as infeccións bacterianas.
para as infeccións bacterianas.
05:17
because after all, no cure for bacterial
infections had been invented.
infections had been invented.
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05:21
He was looking at samples from patients
who had survived this illness.
who had survived this illness.
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Estaba observando mostras de pacientes
que sobreviviran a esta enfermidade.
que sobreviviran a esta enfermidade.
05:25
And he found that something
weird was going on.
weird was going on.
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E atopou que algo estraño estaba pasando.
05:27
Something in the sample
was killing the bacteria
was killing the bacteria
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Algo nas mostras
estaba matando as bacterias
estaba matando as bacterias
05:29
that were supposed to cause the disease.
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que supostamente causaban a enfermidade.
05:31
To find out what was going on,
he did an ingenious experiment.
he did an ingenious experiment.
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Para saber o que estaba pasando,
realizou un experimento ben enxeñoso.
realizou un experimento ben enxeñoso.
05:35
He took the sample, filtered it
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Colleu unha mostra, filtrouna
05:37
until he was sure that only something
very small could have remained,
very small could have remained,
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ata que estaba seguro de que só podía
quedar algo minúsculo,
quedar algo minúsculo,
e despois engadiu unha pinguiña
a cultivos de bacterias novos.
a cultivos de bacterias novos.
05:40
and then took a tiny drop and added it
to freshly cultivated bacteria.
to freshly cultivated bacteria.
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05:45
And he observed
that within a number of hours,
that within a number of hours,
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E observou que nunhas horas
as bacterias morreran.
05:47
the bacteria had been killed.
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05:49
He then repeated this,
again filtering, taking a tiny drop,
again filtering, taking a tiny drop,
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Repetiu entón o experimento, filtrou
outra vez a mostra, colleu unha pinguiña
outra vez a mostra, colleu unha pinguiña
05:53
adding it to the next batch
of fresh bacteria.
of fresh bacteria.
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e engadiuna á seguinte quenda
de bacterias frescas.
de bacterias frescas.
Fixo isto en cadea 50 veces,
05:55
He did this in sequence 50 times,
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05:58
always observing the same effect.
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e sempre obtivo o mesmo resultado.
06:00
And at this point,
he made two conclusions.
he made two conclusions.
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E chegado a este punto,
concluíu dúas cousas.
concluíu dúas cousas.
06:02
First of all, the obvious one:
yes, something was killing the bacteria,
yes, something was killing the bacteria,
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En primeiro lugar, a máis obvia:
si, algo estaba matando as bacterias
si, algo estaba matando as bacterias
06:06
and it was in that liquid.
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e estaba nese líquido.
06:07
The other one: it had to be
biologic in nature,
biologic in nature,
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A outra: tiña que ser algo
de natureza biolóxica,
de natureza biolóxica,
06:10
because a tiny drop was sufficient
to have a huge impact.
to have a huge impact.
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xa que unha pinguiña de nada era abondo
para provocar un gran impacto.
para provocar un gran impacto.
06:14
He called the agent he had found
an "invisible microbe"
an "invisible microbe"
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Ó axente que atopou chamoulle
"microbio invisible"
"microbio invisible"
06:18
and gave it the name "bacteriophage,"
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e denominouno "bacteriófago",
que literalmente significa
"que come bacterias".
"que come bacterias".
06:19
which, literally translated,
means "bacteria eater."
means "bacteria eater."
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E por certo, este foi
un dos descubrimentos máis importantes
un dos descubrimentos máis importantes
06:22
And by the way, this is one
of the most fundamental discoveries
of the most fundamental discoveries
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da microbioloxía moderna.
06:25
of modern microbiology.
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06:27
So many modern techniques go back
to our understanding of how phages work --
to our understanding of how phages work --
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Unha chea de técnicas modernas
baséanse no coñecemento sobre os fagos
baséanse no coñecemento sobre os fagos
06:31
in genomic editing,
but also in other fields.
but also in other fields.
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na edición xenómica e noutras áreas.
06:33
And just today, the Nobel Prize
in chemistry was announced
in chemistry was announced
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E precisamente hoxe,
outorgouse o premio Nobel de Química
outorgouse o premio Nobel de Química
06:36
for two scientists who work with phages
and develop drugs based on that.
and develop drugs based on that.
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a dous científicos que traballan con fagos
e que desenvolven menciñas baseadas neles.
e que desenvolven menciñas baseadas neles.
06:41
Now, back in the 1920s and 1930s,
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Nos anos 20 e 30 do século pasado,
viuse inmediatamente
o potencial médico dos fagos.
o potencial médico dos fagos.
06:43
people also immediately saw
the medical potential of phages.
the medical potential of phages.
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Á fin e ao cabo, aínda que invisibles,
06:46
After all, albeit invisible,
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06:48
you had something
that reliably was killing bacteria.
that reliably was killing bacteria.
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había algo que mataba bacterias
cunha alta efectividade.
cunha alta efectividade.
06:51
Companies that still exist today,
such as Abbott, Squibb or Lilly,
such as Abbott, Squibb or Lilly,
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Empresas que aínda hoxe existen,
como Abbott, Squibb ou Lilly,
como Abbott, Squibb ou Lilly,
06:54
sold phage preparations.
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vendían preparados de fagos.
06:57
But the reality is, if you're starting
with an invisible microbe,
with an invisible microbe,
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Pero a verdade é que se partes
dun microbio invisible
dun microbio invisible
07:00
it's very difficult to get
to a reliable drug.
to a reliable drug.
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é moi difícil obter
unha menciña fiable.
unha menciña fiable.
07:03
Just imagine going to the FDA today
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Imaxinade como sería ir hoxe en día á FDA
07:05
and telling them all about
that invisible virus
that invisible virus
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e falarlles dun virus invisible
07:07
you want to give to patients.
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que lle queres dar ós pacientes.
07:09
So when chemical antibiotics
emerged in the 1940s,
emerged in the 1940s,
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Cando os antibióticos químicos
apareceron nos anos 40,
apareceron nos anos 40,
07:12
they completely changed the game.
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cambiaron as regras do xogo por completo.
07:14
And this guy played a major role.
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E este tipo tivo un papel moi importante.
07:16
This is Alexander Fleming.
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É Alexander Fleming.
07:18
He won the Nobel Prize in medicine
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Gañou o Premio Nobel de Medicina
polas súas contribucións ó desenvolvemento
07:19
for his work contributing
to the development
to the development
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do primeiro antibiótico: a penicilina.
07:22
of the first antibiotic, penicillin.
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07:24
And antibiotics really work
very differently than phages.
very differently than phages.
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Os antibióticos funcionan
dun xeito moi distinto ós fagos.
dun xeito moi distinto ós fagos.
07:29
For the most part, they inhibit
the growth of the bacteria,
the growth of the bacteria,
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A maioría deles
inhiben o crecemento das bacterias
inhiben o crecemento das bacterias
07:31
and they don't care so much
which kind of bacteria are present.
which kind of bacteria are present.
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e non lles importa moito
que tipo de bacteria sexa.
que tipo de bacteria sexa.
07:35
The ones that we call broad-spectrum
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Os que se denominan de amplo espectro
07:37
will even work against
a whole bunch of bacteria out there.
a whole bunch of bacteria out there.
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son efectivos para
unha morea de bacterias.
unha morea de bacterias.
07:40
Compare that to phages,
which work extremely narrowly
which work extremely narrowly
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Comparados cos fagos,
que son extremadamente precisos
que son extremadamente precisos
contra unha especie bacteriana,
07:43
against one bacterial species,
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07:44
and you can see the obvious advantage.
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a vantaxe é evidente.
07:47
Now, back then, this must have felt
like a dream come true.
like a dream come true.
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No seu día, isto tivo que ser
como un soño feito realidade.
como un soño feito realidade.
Tiñas un paciente sospeitoso de ter
unha infección bacteriana
unha infección bacteriana
07:50
You had a patient
with a suspected bacterial infection,
with a suspected bacterial infection,
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07:53
you gave him the antibiotic,
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dábaslle o antibiótico,
07:55
and without really needing to know
anything else about the bacteria
anything else about the bacteria
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e sen ter que saber nada
sobre a bacteria causante da enfermidade
sobre a bacteria causante da enfermidade
07:58
causing the disease,
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a maioría dos pacientes recuperábanse.
07:59
many of the patients recovered.
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E axiña que se desenvolveron
máis e máis antibióticos
máis e máis antibióticos
08:01
And so as we developed
more and more antibiotics,
more and more antibiotics,
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08:03
they, rightly so, became the first-line
therapy for bacterial infections.
therapy for bacterial infections.
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convertéronse con razón na principal
terapia para as infeccións bacterianas.
terapia para as infeccións bacterianas.
08:07
And by the way, they have contributed
tremendously to our life expectancy.
tremendously to our life expectancy.
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E por certo, contribuíron enormemente
á nosa esperanza de vida.
á nosa esperanza de vida.
08:12
We are only able to do
complex medical interventions
complex medical interventions
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Hoxe en día é posible
realizar intervencións complexas
realizar intervencións complexas
08:14
and medical surgeries today
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e cirurxías médicas
08:16
because we have antibiotics,
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porque hai antibióticos,
e non nos arriscamos
a que o paciente morra ó día seguinte
a que o paciente morra ó día seguinte
08:17
and we don't risk the patient
dying the very next day
dying the very next day
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08:20
from the bacterial infection that he might
contract during the operation.
contract during the operation.
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por unha infección bacteriana
que puido contraer durante a operación.
que puido contraer durante a operación.
08:24
So we started to forget about phages,
especially in Western medicine.
especially in Western medicine.
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Así que comezamos a esquecernos dos fagos,
en especial na medicina occidental.
en especial na medicina occidental.
08:28
And to a certain extent, even when
I was growing up, the notion was:
I was growing up, the notion was:
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E ata certo punto, cando era novo,
a crenza era:
a crenza era:
08:32
we have solved bacterial infections;
we have antibiotics.
we have antibiotics.
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o problema das infeccións bacterianas
está resolto, hai antibióticos.
está resolto, hai antibióticos.
08:37
Of course, today,
we know that this is wrong.
we know that this is wrong.
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Hoxe sabemos que isto non é certo, claro.
08:40
Today, most of you
will have heard about superbugs.
will have heard about superbugs.
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Hoxe, a maioría oiriades falar
das superbacterias.
das superbacterias.
08:42
Those are bacteria
that have become resistant
that have become resistant
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Son bacterias que se tornaron resistentes
08:45
to many, if not all, of the antibiotics
that we have developed
that we have developed
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á maioría dos antibióticos
que levamos desenvolvidos
que levamos desenvolvidos
08:49
to treat this infection.
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para tratar unha infección.
08:51
How did we get here?
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Como chegamos ata aquí?
08:53
Well, we weren't as smart
as we thought we were.
as we thought we were.
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Non eramos tan listos como pensabamos.
08:56
As we started using
antibiotics everywhere --
antibiotics everywhere --
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Ó empezar a usar antibióticos
en todas partes,
en todas partes,
08:59
in hospitals, to treat and prevent;
at home, for simple colds;
at home, for simple colds;
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nos hospitais para tratar e previr,
na casa para un catarro común,
na casa para un catarro común,
09:02
on farms, to keep animals healthy --
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nas granxas, para manter os animais sans,
09:05
the bacteria evolved.
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as bacterias evolucionaron.
09:07
In the onslaught of antibiotics
that were all around them,
that were all around them,
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Na arremetida de antibióticos
á que se viron sometidas,
á que se viron sometidas,
09:11
those bacteria survived
that were best able to adapt.
that were best able to adapt.
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as bacterias que mellor
souberon adaptarse sobreviviron.
souberon adaptarse sobreviviron.
09:15
Today, we call these
"multidrug-resistant bacteria."
"multidrug-resistant bacteria."
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Agora chamámoslles
"bacterias multirresistentes".
"bacterias multirresistentes".
09:18
And let me put a scary number out there.
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Deixádeme que vos dea un dato preocupante.
09:20
In a recent study commissioned
by the UK government,
by the UK government,
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Nun estudo recente encargado
polo goberno británico,
polo goberno británico,
09:22
it was estimated that by 2050,
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estimouse que para o ano 2050,
09:25
ten million people could die every year
from multidrug-resistant infections.
from multidrug-resistant infections.
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poden morrer dez millóns de persoas ó ano
por infeccións resistentes ás menciñas.
por infeccións resistentes ás menciñas.
Comparado coas oito millóns
de mortes anuais por cancro actuais
de mortes anuais por cancro actuais
09:29
Compare that to eight million deaths
from cancer per year today,
from cancer per year today,
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09:33
and you can see
that this is a scary number.
that this is a scary number.
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podedes ver que é un dato que mete medo.
09:35
But the good news is,
phages have stuck around.
phages have stuck around.
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Pero as boas novas son
que aínda contamos cos fagos.
que aínda contamos cos fagos.
09:39
And let me tell you, they are not
impressed by multidrug resistance.
impressed by multidrug resistance.
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E deixádeme dicirvos, non lle teñen
medo á resistencia ós antibióticos.
medo á resistencia ós antibióticos.
09:42
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
09:43
They are just as happily killing
and hunting bacteria all around us.
and hunting bacteria all around us.
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Seguen cazando e matando bacterias
ó noso redor coma se nada.
ó noso redor coma se nada.
09:50
And they've also stayed selective,
which today is really a good thing.
which today is really a good thing.
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E aínda por riba son selectivos,
o que é algo moi bo actualmente.
o que é algo moi bo actualmente.
Hoxe, somos quen de identificar
con certeza un patóxeno bacteriano
con certeza un patóxeno bacteriano
09:53
Today, we are able to reliably identify
a bacterial pathogen
a bacterial pathogen
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09:56
that's causing an infection
in many settings.
in many settings.
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que causa unha infección
en distintos contornos.
en distintos contornos.
A súa selectividade axudaranos a evitar
algúns efectos secundarios
algúns efectos secundarios
09:59
And their selectivity will help us
avoid some of the side effects
avoid some of the side effects
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10:02
that are commonly associated
with broad-spectrum antibiotics.
with broad-spectrum antibiotics.
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comunmente asociados ós
antibióticos de amplo espectro.
antibióticos de amplo espectro.
10:06
But maybe the best news of all is:
they are no longer an invisible microbe.
they are no longer an invisible microbe.
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Pero quizais a mellor noticia é
que xa non son microbios invisibles.
que xa non son microbios invisibles.
10:10
We can look at them.
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Podemos miralos.
10:11
And we did so together before.
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Fixémolo xuntos hai un intre.
10:13
We can sequence their DNA.
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Podemos secuenciar o seu ADN,
10:15
We understand how they replicate.
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entendemos como se replican
10:16
And we understand the limitations.
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e comprendemos as súas limitacións.
10:18
We are in a great place
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Estamos nun excelente momento
para desenvolver menciñas
efectivas e fiables baseadas en fagos.
efectivas e fiables baseadas en fagos.
10:20
to now develop strong and reliable
phage-based pharmaceuticals.
phage-based pharmaceuticals.
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10:24
And that's what's happening
around the globe.
around the globe.
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E xusto iso é o que está pasando no mundo.
10:26
More than 10 biotech companies,
including our own company,
including our own company,
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Máis de 10 empresas biotecnolóxicas,
incluída a nosa,
incluída a nosa,
están desenvolvendo fagoterapias para
tratar infeccións bacterianas en humanos.
tratar infeccións bacterianas en humanos.
10:29
are developing human-phage applications
to treat bacterial infections.
to treat bacterial infections.
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10:32
A number of clinical trials
are getting underway in Europe and the US.
are getting underway in Europe and the US.
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Estanse a realizar ensaios clínicos
en Europa e nos EE. UU.
en Europa e nos EE. UU.
10:37
So I'm convinced
that we're standing on the verge
that we're standing on the verge
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Estou convencido de que
nos atopamos ás portas
nos atopamos ás portas
10:40
of a renaissance of phage therapy.
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do rexurdimento da terapia con fagos.
10:42
And to me, the correct way to depict
the phage is something like this.
the phage is something like this.
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E, para min, a maneira axeitada
de representar un fago é algo tal que así.
de representar un fago é algo tal que así.
10:46
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
10:49
To me, phages are the superheroes
that we have been waiting for
that we have been waiting for
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Para min, os fagos son os superheroes
que levamos tempo agardando
que levamos tempo agardando
10:52
in our fight against
multidrug-resistant infections.
multidrug-resistant infections.
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na nosa loita contra as infeccións
resistentes ós antibióticos.
resistentes ós antibióticos.
10:56
So the next time you think about a virus,
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Así que a próxima vez
que pensedes nun virus,
que pensedes nun virus,
10:59
keep this image in mind.
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lembrade esta imaxe.
11:01
After all, a phage might
one day save your life.
one day save your life.
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Despois de todo, nunca saberedes
cando un fago vos pode salvar a vida.
cando un fago vos pode salvar a vida.
11:04
Thank you.
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Grazas.
11:06
(Applause)
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(Aplausos)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Alexander Belcredi - Biotech entrepreneurAlexander Belcredi studies how viruses can help in the fight against superbugs.
Why you should listen
Alexander Belcredi has been working in the pharmaceutical space for over a decade. He spent nine years at BCG where he was part of the global health care team, focusing on pharma and medtech. While at BCG, Belcredi became acutely aware of the urgent need to develop alternatives to antibiotics and was fascinated by the role that phage therapy can play. In 2017, he co-founded PhagoMed Biopharma GmbH, a biotech company developing phage-based pharmaceuticals to treat bacterial infections, where he is now the CEO. Belcredi holds an MA in Modern History and Economics from the University of St. Andrews as well as an MBA from INSEAD.
Alexander Belcredi | Speaker | TED.com