Studies Show Nymox NXC-4720 Can Reduce E. Coli Meat Contamination

Nymox Pharmaceutical's proprietary NXC-4720 product for the treatment of potentially fatal E. coli O157:H7 contamination is capable of reducing the level of contamination on fresh beef by 99 percent, according to laboratory studies.

The studies used fresh beef samples inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 bacteria and then treated with the company's product. Nymox's NXC-4720 product is designed for the treatment of meat at the processing stage.

E. coli O157:H7 bacterial contamination is a major public health problem throughout the world. This type of E. coli infection can cause severe bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps and can lead to kidney failure, particularly in young children and in the elderly, with often serious long-term and sometimes fatal results.

E. coli O157 contamination is a serious problem for the meat-packing industry. One U.S. Department of Agriculture study estimated the direct and indirect costs of foodborne E. coli O157 infections at more than $650 million per year. In 2002 alone, more than 23 million pounds of meat were recalled in the U.S. because of possible E. coli contamination.