EVAH, a Canadian biotechnology company, has developed a low-dosage in-feed veterinary medicinal product that aims to improve how the global salmon farming industry combats sea lice.
The company said it has now secured a core US patent for its product. A PCT (patent cooperation treaty) application has been filed based on the US patent priority date, with the intention to seek patent protection in all relevant countries and regions.
EVAH’s reportedly demonstrates consistently high efficacy (>99% in tank studies) at low dosages against all parasitic stages of sea lice – from the copepodite stage to adult lice.
Because it is delivered via medicated feed, there is no need for fish handling or direct intervention, reducing injuries, morbidity and mortality, hopefully leading to higher grading of the harvested fish.
In principle, fish treated for sea lice – following a prescription from an authorized veterinarian – continue to feed and grow during the one-week treatment period required to achieve the full effect of the prescribed medicine. Before and after the treatment, the fish are fed the same feed, but without any medication.
"Unlike existing bath or mechanical treatments – which cannot be simultaneously applied site-wide and have no duration of efficacy, often requiring repeat applications – EVAH’s solution can be simultaneously applied site wide, and to multiple farms, helping reset sea lice levels across entire fjord or bay systems," said the company.
“Sea lice have been a persistent, expensive, and painful challenge for too long in the farming of Atlantic salmon," added Michel Fortin, President and CEO of EVAH.
"While infestations occur naturally, the pressure on Atlantic farmed and also wild salmonids such as rainbow trout and Arctic charr has increased significantly. It’s time to offer the entire sector a solution that truly works – and it works with nature, not against it.”
The global market for salmon exceeded $22 billion in 2023, with over 600 million salmon harvested annually.