Scientists seek SRS vaccine using 'best plasmid ever'
Canada biotech firm signs deal giving Chilean company the right to develop and market drug
A Canadian biotech company, Chrysaor Biologics Inc., and Chilean firm AQP SpA have entered into a strategic partnership focused on the development and commercialisation of a novel DNA vaccine designed to protect salmon against Piscirickettsia salmonis, the causative agent of SRS (salmon rickettsial septicaemia).
The vaccine is based on the BPE (Best Plasmid Ever) platform, a unique DNA vaccine plasmid backbone developed and patented by Pegasus Biotech, a company headed by three of Chrysaor’s four scientist co-founders.
Chrysaor Biologics, which was founded in early 2024 and is based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, said it will leverage its specialised expertise to design novel vaccine targets optimised for the BPE platform through in silico analysis and AI-guided predictive modelling.
Exclusive licence
Under the terms of the agreement, Chrysaor has granted AQP SpA an exclusive global licence to develop and commercialise the new SRS vaccine.
“We are thrilled to partner with Chrysaor Biologics to bring this much-needed SRS vaccine to the aquaculture industry,” said David Farcas, chief executive of AQP SpA, which developed and markets AquaPrime, a natural water conditioner for the aquaculture industry.
“By combining Chrysaor’s innovative BPE platform with our field trial expertise and commercial network in Chile, we are uniquely positioned to make a meaningful impact on salmon health and sustainability worldwide.”
The ideal partner
“This agreement represents a major milestone for Chrysaor," said Dr Yimy Mena, chairman of Chrysaor Biologics Inc., and chief executive of Pegasus Biotech.
“AQP SpA is the ideal partner to advance the clinical, regulatory, and commercialisation pathways for this vaccine. Together, we are translating cutting-edge in silico research into a practical solution for one of aquaculture's most significant veterinary challenges.”
Chrysaor Biologics and AQP SpA say the “next-generation” SRS vaccine they are developing will improve salmon health, lower antibiotic use, and strengthen sustainable aquaculture globally. SRS is the major cause of disease-based mortality in Chilean salmon farming and is a growing problem in other salmon farming regions.
According to the Pegasus Biotech website, the BPE platform uses a novel bacterial origin combined with a genetically modified e. coli to drive ultra-high yields in an antimicrobial free environment.
