BGU spin-off Enzootic has announced the signing of a commercial and technological licensing agreement with Israeli-based company Vecoy Nanomedicines, which specializes in a novel anti-viral nanomedicine technology. Enzootic, founded by Dr. Assaf Schechter, who holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from BGU, and Prof. Amir Sagi, former Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, a member of the Department of Life Sciences and the National Institute of Biotechnology in the Negev (NIBN), in collaboration with BGN Technologies, specializes in advanced biotechnological solutions for aquaculture. The licensing agreement enables Enzootic to implement Vecoy Nanomedicines’ anti-viral technology to address the pressing challenge of viral epidemics that damages aquaculture crops such as shrimp and fish.
Worldwide aquaculture industry produces over 60 million tons of fish, shellfish and aquatic plants, valued in over $130 Billion. The damage caused to this industry in the last few decades due to viral epidemics is estimated at a multi-billions dollars loss. The annual loss by viral outbreaks to the shrimp industry alone is estimated at nearly 3 billion dollars. The joint technology and know-how of both companies is designed to address this challenge and to lead to the development of an effective prevention and treatment of viral epidemics in the aquaculture industry. Vecoy Nanomedicines’ unique nano-scale virus-traps technology alongside Enzootics aquaculture expertise will potentially lead to the development of a product that will be able to address both known and emerging unrecognized viruses.
“The unique technology developed by Vecoy Nanomedicines suits well our product platform in the field of aquaculture”, says Dr. Assaf Shechter, Enzootic’s CEO. “The severe damage caused by viral epidemics is one of the main challenges the aquaculture industry faces. We believe that by this cooperation it will be possible to develop an effective treatment that will significantly increase the yield and effectiveness of shrimp farms”
“The combination of the impressive knowledge and abilities of Enzootic in the aquaculture space and Vecoy nanomedicines’ disruptive anti-viral technology provides a powerful solution to a largely unmet need”, says Vecoy Nanomedicine CEO, Erez Livneh. “In a world suffering from food shortage, I believe there is a great importance in cultivating collaborations that implement medical solutions to the food industry”.
Vecoy Nanomedicines is a NanoPharma company that develops a new generation of nanomedicines for the treatment of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis-C and other viral infections. The technology is essentially nano-scale virus traps that mimic human cells and by doing so lure and destroy virus particles within the bloodstream of patients. This unique approach is disruptive by nature and has the potential to revolutionize anti-viral medicine and to save the lives of millions.
Vecoy Nanomedicines has secured two angel investments, has submitted a fully drafted pending patent application (currently in PCT stage) and has accomplished a proof of concept of its core technology in both in vitro and in vivo models. The company holds its laboratory facility at the Bar-Ilan nanotechnology center.
The company has positioned itself in a unique interface of three major domains: Biotechnology, Nanotechnology and Homeland-Security (BioDefense), and considers scientific and financial collaborations within these domains.
Enzootic is an agro-biotech venture engaged in the identification and utilization of emerging platform technologies for the development and commercialization of proprietary products designed to increase yield, profit and sustainability of crustacean aquaculture and enhance ecological bio-control.
The company was founded by Dr. Assaf Shechter and Prof. Amir Sagi in collaboration with Ben-Gurion University's tech-transfer company, BGN Technologies.
The company employs a range of independent and licensed technologies in the development and commercialization of proprietary products which increase yields, economic value and sustainability for crustacean aquaculture, while avoiding the use of chemicals, hormones and genetic modifications.
Enzootic has recently commenced the marketing, in North America, of the first RNA interference-based technology ever to be used in aquaculture for all-male prawn culture.
