The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will be to improve the availability of aquaculture-raised fish and shellfish while improving their welfare when grown under intensive management. Oral delivery of bioactive compounds or biologics (such as vaccines, drugs and nutraceuticals) is challenging in aquaculture due to a number of factors: 1) heating damage during manufacturing, 2) feeds often face high temperature and humidity during storage that degrades their biological activity, 3) materials are delivered in water, and 4) materials must pass through challenging conditions in the gastrointestinal tract and then locate effector sites. This project develops formulations and methods to orally deliver and protect the activity of bioactive compounds and biologics, which are used to protect animals from disease. The methods developed in this project will reduce the amount of these materials necessary to provide protection. Since bioactive compounds and biologics are high cost materials, delivery of the same activity using a much reduced amount of the material will lower the cost for their use in aquaculture. More effective control of pathogens and improved animal health in aquaculture due to more affordable application of these high value compounds will improve aquaculture sustainability. Successful deployment of more affordable biologics in these formulations will be a boost to aquacultural production that can decrease the world's reliance on wild-catch fisheries.The technical objectives of this Phase I research project are focused on the development of oral delivery formulations and methods for improved delivery of oligoribonulceotides, polysaccharides and proteins that can be applied to other bioactive compounds and biologics of commercial importance for the aquaculture industry. Aquaculture presents a difficult environment to effectively deliver high cost biologics and bioactive compounds due to the high moisture conditions during manufacture, storage and delivery. During Phase I, the project?s focus will be on optimization of the components of proprietary delivery formulations to improve and validate their ability to protect and deliver different classes of compounds (oligoribonulceotides, polysaccharides, and proteins). A successful Phase I will complete the initial development of the delivery system and begin validation of the immunostimulatory abilities of two oral delivery products based on the improved delivery of oligoribonucleotides and free beta-glucan products that have already demonstrated immunostimulatory ability.
