A natural immune boost for farm and aquaculture

Stirling Products North America Inc.

April 22, 2009 — Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

In 2003, Shane Patelakis, a food scientist and budding entrepreneur, was developing human functional foods when he spotted an untapped opportunity. A group of natural immune-boosting molecules called beta glucans were selling for the equivalent of $15,000 a kilogram in health and cosmaceutical (a cross between cosmetic and pharmaceutical) products. Yet, although initially tested in clinical trials with animals, the beta glucans weren't being used on farms.

"If it's working in animals to boost immunity, why aren't we also using it on them?" thought Patelakis.

With entrepreneurial flare, in 2004 Patelakis and three colleagues founded Charlottetown, PEI-based Progressive BioActives Inc. to commercialize the idea of a natural, immune-boosting agricultural beta glucan feed supplement. With support from the National Research Council Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP), the company developed ProVale^TM. It's now a world player in the natural therapeutic market for natural immune health and productivity agents for pigs, poultry, shrimp and pets.

The company's success has attracted international interest. In August 2007, the start-up was purchased by Australian animal health company Stirling Products Ltd., and re-named Stirling Products North America Inc.

Back in 2004, the company's first step was to develop a patented, cost-effective way to extract beta glucans, complex sugars, from waste yeast left-over from beer production. However, Patelakis says that this is where the R&D challenge really began.

"With a new product, we needed strong research to prove to farmers that our product really worked," says Patelakis. "NRC-IRAP support enabled us to undertake intensive research projects, and to develop international market leadership through solid science."

The company's agricultural-grade beta glucan is about 80 per cent pure, while human grade is 96 per cent pure. So, the company's pilot studies needed to clearly demonstrate the bioactivity, immune stimulation and cost effectiveness of beta glucans at the lower concentration.

"In our research with piglets we found a clear dosage response curve. We discovered that ProVale^TM beta glucans naturally increased the rate of maturation of their immune systems. This means fewer piglets die and they are better able to fight disease, providing a direct financial return for the farmer," says Patelakis.

Charlottetown-based NRC-IRAP Industrial Technology Advisor (ITA), Tom O'Rourke, played an advisory role in research from the concept stage, including assistance with developing experimental plans and the creation of a DNA-based bioassay system for evaluating bioactivity of these glucans.

"The research clearly shows that beta glucans can act as a potential replacement for the prophylactic use of growth promotion antibiotics in animal feeds. This is a major advance at a time when consumers and regulators are concerned about antibiotic residues in foods," says O'Rourke.

In collaboration with researchers at the NRC Institute for Nutrisciences and Health, and with NRC-IRAP support, the company has developed a unique, test-tube-based bioactivity assay. Using it, the company can rapidly analyze how potential additives affect ProVale's^TM immune-boosting qualities.

"If you can assess the extent of immune stimulation, that's gold," says Patelakis. "Our competitors can't do this, so it gives us a huge advantage."

While ProVale^TM was only traditionally used in pig and poultry, it has been forced recently, due to depression in the Canadian swine industry, to adapt and re-focus on aquatic species.

"Aquaculture is our biggest growth opportunity," says Patelakis, of a company now with nine employees.

Through supported studies, Pro-Vale^TM has been shown to be effective in boosting the natural immunity of both farmed salmon and shrimp. The advance comes at a critical time as major shrimp consumers, particularly in the European Union, are regulating allowable levels of antibiotics in shrimp. As a result, shrimp farms in Thailand have become major customers and the company is in negotiations with a major animal pharma company to market Pro-Vale^TM as an antibiotic alternative in aquaculture.