- In January 2024, Bimeda Corporate announced that a team led by Moredun Research Institute received 1.5M Pound from the BBSRC to develop an oral vaccine for combating salmon lice in farmed Atlantic salmon. This marks a key step toward a sustainable solution to the challenges posed by sea lice, which negatively impact fish health and aquaculture productivity. Currently, no effective commercial vaccine exists for Lepeophtheirus salmonis, the salmon louse.
- In January 2023, Fishfarmingexpert reported that oral vaccination of Nile tilapia was found to be equally effective as injectable vaccines, according to a study conducted by scientists in Thailand, as highlighted by the Global Seafood Alliance on its Responsible Seafood Advocate online news site. The study assessed the efficacy of various formalin-killed vaccine administration methods in terms of immunity and disease resistance in Nile tilapia, which were challenged with the pathogen Streptococcus agalactiae.
- In September 2022, Argentine biotechnology startup FeedVax announced it secured funding from Conservation International Ventures, a milestone the company considers a "landmark" that validates its significance at the seed stage. The company is developing an oral vaccine designed to eliminate the need for animal handling and plans to initially target tilapia producers in Brazil.
- In July 2022, Vaxxinova Chile announced the completion of the final development and licensing stages for a new vaccine aimed at preventing Salmon Rickettsial Septicaemia (SRS). This announcement was made during a seminar titled "Vaxxinova Focuses on the Prevention and Control of Ulcerative Bacterial Diseases in Salmonids in Chile and Norway: Status, Experiences, Tools, and Trends." The vaccine, which has demonstrated a 98% protection rate in laboratory trials, marks a significant advancement in disease prevention for the aquaculture industry.
- In January 2021, Virbac announced that it has formed an exclusive collaboration with TransAlgae to develop aquaculture vaccines using its innovative microalgae-based oral delivery technology. The partnership aims to leverage TransAlgae’s novel bio-encapsulation system, which uses microalgae to safely deliver drugs and vaccines through animal feed. This method has been successfully tested in fish, crustaceans, poultry, and mice, offering potential for broader applications.
