Microsynbiotix

Microsynbiotix was a biotechnology company headquartered in Cork, Ireland that was, founded by Antonio Lamb, Sebastian Cocioba, and Simon Jegan Porphy in 2016. The company was using transgenic microalgae to produce oral vaccines for problematic diseases within the aquaculture industry. The company was planning to apply their oral vaccines to other farming sectors, such as pig production and possibly to humans.

Microsynbiotix had a subsidiary in San Diego wherewith co-foundercofounder Antionio Lamb isas head of genetic engineering for the edible vaccine platform. The Cork site was involved in product development from the business side. In 2021, Microsynbiotix was acquired by biotechnology startupstart-up Sundew for an undisclosed amount.

Microsynbiotix's oral vaccines were designed to improve disease management (viral and bacterial), reduce fish mortality rates, and reduce the need offor antibiotics for aquaculture food production. Microsynbiotix made their vaccines by building synthetic vaccines and introducing them into microalgae. They were then loaded into bioreactors and grown into fish feed that could be fed to fish in aquaculture farms.

Vaccination technology for fish farming traditionally involved the use ofusing handheld injections of individual fish. The cost of injecting vaccines is high and may be justified for high-value fish, such as salmon and sea bass. However, it is less practical for high-volume, low valuelow-value fish, such as tilapia or shrimp.

One milestone that had been reached at that time included the vaccination of juvenile sea bass and the survival of microalgae in the stomach. Another milestone was that it reached the hind guthindgut of the fish and gave an immune response. Microsynbiotix stated that their next steps were to challenge fish with viruses to show the immune response is protective.

Microsynbiotix had planedplanned to work with animal health companies that develop vaccines anand delivery platforms. The idea was that animal health companies could engage with the company at an early stage of product development and then license its oral vaccine delivery platform.

Once Microsynbiotix was acquired by Sundew, the company was utilized to facilitate Sundew’s commercialization and its processes.

Microsynbiotix iswas a biotechnology company headquartered in CorkCork, Ireland that was founded by Antonio Lamb, Sebastian Cocioba, and Simon Jegan PorphySimon Jegan Porphy in 2016. The company iswas using transgenic microalgae to produce oral vaccines for problematic diseases within the aquaculture industry. The company long termwas plansplanning to apply their oral vaccines to other farming sectors, such as pig production and eventuallypossibly to humans. Microsynbiotix has a subsidiary in San Diego where co-founder Antionio Lamb is head of genetic engineering for the edible vaccine platform. The Cork site is involved in product development from the business side.

Microsynbiotix had a subsidiary in San Diego where co-founder Antionio Lamb is head of genetic engineering for the edible vaccine platform. The Cork site was involved in product development from the business side. In 2021, Microsynbiotix was acquired by biotechnology startup Sundew for an undisclosed amount.

TheirMicrosynbiotix's oral vaccines arewere designed to improve disease management (viral and bacterial), reduce fish mortality rates, and reduce the need of antibiotics for aquaculture food production. Microsynbiotix makesmade their vaccines by building synthetic vaccines and introducing them into microalgae. They whichwere arethen loaded into bioreactors and grown into fish feed that cancould be fed to fish in aquaculture farms.

Existing vaccinationVaccination technology for fish farming generallytraditionally involvesinvolved the use of handheld injections of individual fish. The cost of injecting vaccines is high and may be justified for high-value fish, such as salmon and sea bass. butHowever, it is less practical for high-volume, low value fish such as tilapia, carp, catfish or shrimp.

Challenges to oral vaccines are palatability and getting suitable amounts of vaccines into the gut of the fish, which is highly acidic and can degrade the vaccine. The company won The Nutreco Feed Tech Challenge in 2017 due to its innovations in the industry.

Challenges to oral vaccines are palatability and getting suitable amounts of vaccines into the gut of the fish, which is highly acidic and can degrade the vaccine. As of 2018 the company stated that it was working on establishingOne proof of concept. A proof of concept study sponsored by the Center for Aquaculture Technologies in Canada showed that their platform was useful and that it worked. Milestonesmilestone that had been reached at that time includeincluded the vaccination of juvenile sea bass and survival of microalgae in the stomach. Another andmilestone was that it reached the hind gut of the fish and gave an immune response. Microsynbiotix stated that their next steps were to challenge fish with virusviruses to show the immune response is protective.

Microsynbiotix planshad planed to work with animal health companies that develop vaccines an delivery platforms. The idea iswas that animal health companies cancould engage with the Irish biotech firmcompany at an early stage of product development and then license its oral vaccine delivery platform.

Once Microsynbiotix was acquired by Sundew, the company was utilized to facilitate Sundew’s commercialization.