Page 23 - Vol.39-No.1
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DAIRY FARMING

                   GROUNDBREAKING COLLABORATION

               BETWEEN NUTRECO AND BIOMEDIT AIMS


            TO TRANSFORM FEED ADDITIVES THROUGH

                             MICROBIOME TECHNOLOGY


                                                                                ome discovery platform and bench of deep
                                                                                experts together with Nutreco’s expertise
                                                                                and commercial deployment capabilities,
                                                                                we will launch novel feed additive products
                                                                                that address some of the most important
                                                                                problems in animal health, sustainability and
                                                                                food security. This broad strategic alliance
                                                                                with Nutreco is unique in our industry and
                                                                                plays to the strengths of both companies.
                                                                                Together, we will drive innovation and raise
                                                                                customer expectations for the impact of
                                                                                novel feed additives in livestock production
                                                                                systems.”
                                                                                 This industry-influencing move combines
                                                                                the depth, breadth and experience of a
                                                                                leading animal nutrition company with a
                                                                                leading biotechnology R&D program.
                                                                                 “To help transform our industry and feed
                                                                                the growing global population, we are
                                                                                moving beyond just nutrition, supporting
          Nutreco and BiomEdit announce a  a major impact on human health – and,   farmers in operating in a more sustainable
        ground-breaking, long-term strategic re-  similarly, can impact the health, well-being,   way while also working across the supply
        search and commercial partnership to bring  and performance of animals.     chain to drive positive change in the way
        livestock producers innovative and truly   “Saying that microbiome science has cre-  we source, produce and utilise feed ingredi-
        novel  feed  additives  developed  through   ated a buzz in the last decade is an under-  ents,” says Nutreco Chief Executive Officer
        microbiome technology. The partnership   statement. However, practical applications   Fulco van Lede. “The partnership with Bio-
        aligns Nutreco Exploration (NutEx), Nutre-  of this scientific progress remain scarce.   mEdit fits perfectly into this longer-term
        co’s team tasked with developing proprie-  Instead of focusing on microbiome com-  strategy and underlines our commitment
        tary ultra-specialty ingredients to promote   position and how to affect it, at Nutreco,   to the development of ultra-specialties.
        its purpose of Feeding the Future, with an-  we believe that mining the microbiome to   Today’s announcement will benefit all of Nu-
        imal health’s most advanced microbiome   find microbial functions that will benefit   treco’s businesses: Skretting (aquaculture
        biotech company, BiomEdit.          the animal’s physiology will unlock real sus-  feed), and Trouw Nutrition (livestock feed)
          The collaboration covers the discovery,  tainable progress for the welfare, health,   including, in particular, our feed additives
                                                                                brand, Selko.”
        development and commercialisation of Bi-  and productivity of farm animals,” explains
        ome-actives developed using BiomEdit’s  Nutreco’s Chief Science Officer David Bravo.   BiomEdit, established in April 2022 in a
        advanced microbiome science and bioin-  “Our first NutEx strategic program will focus   carve out from Elanco Animal Health (NYSE:
        formatics platform. These novel feed addi-  on these Biome-actives. We share so much   ELAN), is a venture-backed start up focused
        tives address the health and sustainability  with BiomEdit’s teams – scientific views,   on the discovery and development of animal
        challenges of today’s animal producers, for  discovery and development processes,   health products that leverage microbiome
        aquaculture, poultry, swine and cattle.   culture and approach – that it was only   science to improve animal health, animal

          In recent years, studies into the gut mi-  logical to engage in this major strategic   protein production and livestock disease
        crobiome have led to a basic understanding   partnership.”              monitoring. This is its first commercial part-
                                                                                nership since it began with contributions
        of their role in human and animal health and   Aaron Schacht, Chief Executive Officer   of assets and technology from Elanco and
        in how foods are digested in the gastroin-  of BiomEdit, commented, “Microbiome sci-  Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA) and a suc-
        testinal tract. Influencing the gut microbi-  ence has the potential to address the com-  cessful $40M Series A funding round with
        ome – the microbes – what they produce  plex health challenges and unmet needs our   Ferment, Viking Global Investors, Anterra
        and their environment, for example through  customers and their livestock face today.   Capital.
        food supplements or medicines, can have  By leveraging BiomEdit’s advanced microbi-


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