PEROS SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES INC
PerOs and the USDA's Agricultural Research Service Successfully Tested an Oral Vaccination Technology in Tilapia
ST- NICOLAS, Canada, November 16 (ots/PRNewswire)
Under a cooperative research agreement signed in December of 2003 the USDA-ARS and PerOs Systems Technologies Inc, conducted tests combining PerOs' oral drug delivery technology, Oralject(TM), with the USDA-ARS' vaccine developed against the streptococcal disease for tilapia.
In a laboratory challenge test at the USDA, Agriculture Research Service (ARS) Aquatic Animal Health Research Laboratory at Auburn, Alabama. The USDA- ARS' streptococcus iniae vaccine was combined with PerOs' Oralject(TM) and provided effective protection against the disease. The protection degree is higher than any oral administration tested in the past. Detailed results will be published in the next few months.
The commercial availability of such oral vaccines will benefit the aquaculture industry by reducing the impact of the disease and eliminating the costs both direct and indirect associated with the administering of injected vaccines, as well as reducing the use of antibiotics in aquaculture. Streptococcal disease of fish is a problem in farmed tilapia, hybrid striped bass, sea bass, sea bream, yellowtail, and other fish species throughout the world. The total value of loss in cultured fish due to streptococcal disease is estimated at $US 150 million worldwide.
PerOs is proud to work in collaboration with the USDA-ARS to provide an oral solution for the rapid and cost effective delivery of the Streptococcus iniae vaccine to farmed fish.
Results "very exciting" says PerOs
"We have proved that it is possible to deliver orally the Streptococcus iniae vaccine to tilapia. Moreover, this research has demonstrated that the Oralject(TM) technology is able to deliver macromolecules, contained in vaccines, to the bloodstream of the fish in an effective quantity," stated Dr. Grant Vandenberg, Chief Science Officer of PerOs Systems Technologies Inc.
About USDA-ARS:
The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the in-house research center of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). ARS conducts research to develop and transfer solutions to agriculture problems of high national priority.
U.S. Department of Agriculture is a governmental organisation that has the objective to help and improve the agriculture throughout the United States. It has the responsibility to ensure the quality and the safety of the product use in agriculture and introduce new product on the market.
About PerOs:
PerOs Systems Technologies Inc. is a privately held biotechnology company that has developed efficient non-encapsulation strategies to provide oral administration of bioactive compounds (peptides, vaccines, antibodies, etc.). The Company holds patents on a number of these developments, and has commenced their commercialisation.
The company was set-up in Canada in early 2000 by Denis Bernier and Dr. Grant Vandenberg after a revolutionary discovery that permits oral delivery of therapeutic molecules including vaccines, peptides and nutraceuticals. PerOs' patented technology, Oralject(TM), will revolutionise drug delivery by providing a very low-cost and effective large molecule delivery alternative to current drug delivery systems, including injection. Oralject(TM) technology is the first means of delivering large molecules in a cost-effective, accurate, modulated, safe and efficient manner.
Contact:
For further information: Jean-Simon Venne, Vice President Business
Development, PerOs Systems Technologies Inc., +1-(514)-481-0349,
jsvenne@PerOsbio.com