Sustainable Agriculture: The Growing Need for Biotech Innovations in the World's Food Supplies

How we take care of the planet, and the food we eat is rapidly shifting. Back in May, the World Economic Forum addressed how countries are redefining their bioeconomy for the future, with each aiming for sustainable solutions. NGOs around the world are calling for urgent action to accelerate nature-based solutions to tackle global challenges, while the World Bank is encouraging sustainable agriculture, not an end to farming. Behind the scenes, several biotech firms are working on solutions that can help foster these types of goals, including BioVaxys Technology Corp. (CSE: BIOV) (OTCQB: BVAXF), Zoetis Inc. (NYSE: ZTS), Corteva, Inc. (NYSE: CTVA), Bunge Global SA (NYSE: BG), and BRF S.A. (NYSE: BRFS).

Earlier this year, the clinical-stage biotech company BioVaxys Technology Corp. (CSE: BIOV) (OTCQB: BVAXF) made headlines with its strategic acquisition of a comprehensive clinical development pipeline, which includes the cutting-edge DPX™ immune system educating antigen delivery platform. BioVaxys identified DPX™ as a potential game-changing enabling technology across several areas, including improved mRNA vaccines, multivalent viral vaccines, cancer vaccines, and treatments for immune system disorders. But these uses aren't restricted just to human, as BioVaxys recognizes that animal biotech has a faster regulatory pathway than humans.

Partnered with SpayVac for Wildlife (SpayVac), the two companies recently announced the completion of a new expanded research and production facility in Madison, Wisconsin to produce SpayVac's long-lasting, single-dose veterinary contraceptive vaccines. Thanks to BioVaxys' patented liposome-based antigen delivery platform technology, SpayVac can address the significant fertility-control needs in wildlife, agricultural production animals, and aquaculture markets, setting up the potential for BioVaxys to attain royalty revenue from the project in 2025.

"This new laboratory will significantly enhance our ability to develop new vaccine formulations for species that would benefit from humane, long-term fertility control," said Dr. Ursula Bechert, Vice-President of Research and Development for SpayVac for Wildlife.

SpayVac is preparing to commercialize fertility control vaccines for deer, horses, and other animals, utilizing the patented liposome-based delivery platform technology licensed from BioVaxys.

"I'm enthusiastic about the many benefits of this space," said Tom D'Orazio, CEO of SpayVac for Wildlife. "It is flexible enough for us to do both our research and small-scale production. The facility has a number other biopharma  tenant companies, such as Kendrick Laboratories and Plumb Pharmaceuticals, creating a biotech hub and collaborative environment."

SpayVac originally operated out of the University of Victoria in British Columbia but relocated to Madison, Wisconsin, following the pandemic. Backed by the BrightStar Wisconsin Foundation and angel investors, SpayVac successfully expanded its laboratory and secured space in a facility owned by Lytic Solutions. This new location will enable the company to produce vaccines for both ongoing and future experimental contraceptive trials.

"With our licensee SpayVac on track for submitting their filing for regulatory approval in 2025, they expect to see commercial sales, which will generate royalty revenue from our liposome-based antigen delivery platform technology," said Kenneth Kovan, President & Chief Operating Officer of BioVaxys.

Though it's being initially implemented for deer, horses, etc., the potential for BioVaxys' antigen delivery platfrom is quite large, in particular in the growing commercial aquaculture vaccines market. Back in April, BioVaxys and SpayVac announced a joint effort in the aquaculture space to field test single-dose, long-lasting immune-contraceptives in farmed rainbow trout—a market that's projected to reach US$7 billion by 2033. As a side note, the duo has also teamed up to test a long-lasting, single-dose contraceptive vaccine, in captive Asian elephants, with a clinical study current,y ongoing in Thailand.