Australian biotech company snags award for ‘ground-breaking’ shrimp pathogen detection product

Genics’ shrimp pathogen detection product can detect 14 pathogens in one test, saving money and leading to early disease detection

On November 1, 2023, Australian biotech company Genics was awarded the Translation Hero category at the InnovationAus 2023 Awards for Excellence for Shrimp Multipath ­– the ground-breaking shrimp pathogen detection product that “has set new benchmarks for accuracy and speed in the shrimp aquaculture industry.” The InnovationAus Translation Hero Award focuses on research innovation leading to business success and recognizes outstanding achievements in technological commercialization.

Shrimp MultiPath detects common pathogens that can be devastating to shrimp farm stock. The Shrimp MultiPath panel is considered a “game changer” for shrimp farmers because it can detect 14 pathogens in one test, rather than testing for each disease individually as other labs do.

Genics achieves industry-best turnaround times on testing results, thanks to the efficiency of the MultiPath technology. Global customers get farm-to-lab results within five days, even in overseas regions such as South America and Asia, compared to a prior industry standard of 14 days or more.

Testing speed and accuracy are essential to shrimp farmers because if pathogens are not detected early, they can destroy prawn stocks, severely diminishing product quality and profitability. By dramatically accelerating the testing process, Genics saves farmers money and gives them earlier warning of disease threats.

“Seeing our pilot farms and early adopters succeed with our Prawn MultiPath technology and achieve real production improvements was incredibly rewarding as a scientist,” said Mellony Sellars, Genics CEO. “There is no better feeling than having developed a complex scientific system that delivers real-world commercial impact. Especially when it’s for something as important as global food security.”

@GSA_Advocate