- ZIVO Bioscience, Inc. (ZIVO, Financial) partners with the University of Delaware to test formulations for mitigating Avian Influenza in poultry.
- Promising results indicate potential benefits in reducing viral spread and severity.
- ZIVO seeks $5.5 million funding from Michigan and a portion of USDA's $100 million grant.
ZIVO Bioscience, Inc. (ZIVO), a biotech and agtech R&D company, has announced encouraging results from its second study with the University of Delaware. This research evaluated the efficacy of several ZIVO proprietary formulations in reducing the spread of Low Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (LPAI) among poultry.
The study involved two arms: one with directly challenged birds and another with contact-exposed birds. In the directly challenged group, ZIVO-treated birds showed modest reductions in viral shedding, although these results did not achieve statistical significance. However, the findings suggest that ZIVO's formulations could potentially reduce disease severity.
In the contact-exposed group, the formulation that combined four distinct algal-derived materials notably slowed and reduced viral transmission. One bird treated with this combination showed no signs of infection, signifying potential protective effects. Brian Ladman, PhD, from the University of Delaware, remarked that even a slight delay in transmission can provide strategic advantages for poultry producers in managing their flocks.
John Payne, CEO of ZIVO Bioscience, highlighted the company's commitment to developing sustainable non-antibiotic solutions for the poultry industry. ZIVO has submitted a $5.5 million funding request to the State of Michigan and is also applying for a portion of the USDA's $100 million Avian Influenza Poultry Innovation Grand Challenge to further their research efforts.
ZIVO continues to advance its pipeline of algal-derived compounds aimed at improving poultry health and productivity. The company plans to pursue further studies with the University of Delaware to refine these interventions and potentially initiate a larger scale project focused on a single formulation.
