Biotech startup FeedVax nets funding to develop oral vaccine for fish
Argentinian company looks to ‘hack’ animal farming and reduce antibiotic use
Argentinian biotechnology startup FeedVax announced that it has received funding from Conservation International Ventures, news that the young company calls a “landmark” that confirms its relevance in the seed stage.
The company is developing an oral vaccine that it says could eliminate animal handling, and it intends to begin with tilapia producers in Brazil.
“As a producer, I lived firsthand the difficulty of finding simple and sustainable tools to work with,” said FeedVax founder Luis Barletta.
Overuse of antibiotics, the company noted, is one of the 10 greatest threats to global public health, citing the World Health Organization. FeedVax contends that in targeting streptococcus in tilapia aquaculture, each dose of its oral vaccine would replace 0.4 grams of antibiotics.
Conservation International Ventures LLC is an impact investing vehicle managed by Conservation International, a nonprofit that works to support planet-positive economies on a global scale.
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