AQUAXPRS Limited (AQUAXPRS)

Organisation Description

AQUAxprs Limited is an aquaculture health management solutions provider that was established in 2015 in the UK. AQUAxprs Limited is a cluster that develops and markets autogenous and experimental aquatic animal vaccines and diagnostics.

AQUAxprs has developed a collaboration with the Galician Aquaculture Technology Centre (CETGA) to utilize the CETGA Pathology & Biotechnology expertise like the Diagnostics (Biochemical tests, immunological test as serology or ELISA, histology, PCR), their capacity on Pharmacology (Audit of Immunomodulators, Antibiotics, Disinfectants) as well as their capacity on Immunology and Vaccinology where they have unique expertise on the development and testing of Autogenous bacterial and parasitic vaccines for flatfish. The AQUAxprs collaboration is focused on the utilization of CETGA’s technology to produce parasitic vaccines in order to be part of multivalent vaccine technologies. In addition, AQUAxprs Limited and CETGA have developed challenge models for several bacterial, viral and parasitic pathogens and many safety and efficacy trials have been contacted on sea bass, sea bream and turbot. AQUAxprs Limited has also developed a close collaboration with W42 Industrial Biotechnology GmbH who is our Biotechnology partner. W42 is expert for the development of recombinant proteins by genetic engineering using the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris as host organism. They are experts in Protein/enzyme production and process development on an industrial scale through high performance Methanol dependent and /or independent high yield protein production utilising wide range of different strains and promoters. The process of development includes: Strain development, Fermentation, DSP and Enzyme immobilization. W42 participates in two EU financed international research projects TARGETFISH.eu and PARAFISHCONTROL.eu dealing with vaccine development for fish industry for the treatment of viral, bacterial and parasite infections.

Role in Project

AQUAxprs will improve survival in sea bass and sea bream through; bacterial, viral and parasitic Isolate screening, typing and validation not only to create an updated pathogen library but also to utilize virulent relevant pathogens in the lab challenge safety and efficacy trials. AQUAxprs develops autogenous and experimental vaccines for bacterial and viral pathogens and well as and develops and field validates RT-RCR diagnostic tests. AQUAxprs combines field validated RT-PCR diagnostic tests with the vaccination programmes to evaluate carrier status before the vaccination, onset of outbreaks, and importance of secondary infections to contribute both in disease epidemiology but also on the real field vaccine validation. AQUAxprs develops, optimizes and benchmarks robust challenge models that provide high degree of predictability of the performance of autogenous and experimental vaccines in the field.

Key Staff

Prof. Patrick Smith

Prof. Patrick Smith (M) is the AQUAxprs Director and research representative in PERFORMFISH. He was Global Director of New Business Development/Discovery for Intervet Schering Plough Animal Health (Now MSD Animal Health) where he established close collaborative research links between industry and the academic sector. Patrick has over forty years of experience in the field of fish vaccines and fish immunology working in research and SME and large Pharma company’s backgrounds. He almost single-handedly developed the testing and regulatory affairs process for fish vaccines alongside the UK Veterinary Medicines Directorate. He has experience in setting-up testing facilities for both freshwater and marine species of farmed fish. He developed a range of vaccines for fish including immersion-applied, injection-applied, and orally -administered vaccines. Prof. Patrick Smith is Scientific advisor to a number of universities and research institutes on all aspects of fish vaccine development. He is Vice-President of the European Association of Fish Pathologists thus ensuring close contact and rapid communications with leading researchers in the field of aquatic animal health. Also Director of the Vet Fish Med Alliance (a group dedicated to improving the availability of fish medicines and vaccines to the aquaculture industry. He is Scientific advisor to the European Medicines Agency (recently advising on a plasmid vaccine (DNA Vaccine) for fish. Patrick finally is scientific advisor to the Indian Government (through the Research Councils of the UK and India) on the setting-up of research projects to help with the establishment of intensive fin-fish and crustacean farming in India.

Ms. Susan Didlick

Ms. Susan Didlick (F) Manager of Jas Biologicals and AQUAxprs Limited Director and legal representative of the company. She is the virology specialist of AQUAxprs Limited. Susan is Manager of JAS Biologicals Limited that was established in 2004 with Dr. Jay Patel (Ruminant Health expert for INTERVET) to provide early stage contract services for viral vaccine development and registration. Ms. Didlick is the Director of AQUAxprs and leads the AQUAxprs virology team with expertise that include: Viral Vaccine Technologies, Cell Technology, Antibody production, Virological techniques and PCR Diagnostics.