Pebble Labs USA Inc. and Virbac announced that they have entered into agreements to co-develop and commercialize breakthrough solutions for disease prevention in aquaculture.

Demand for farmed aquaculture is expected to double worldwide by 2030, requiring 60% growth in production, the companies said in their announcement. Approximately 50% of aquaculture crops are lost to disease, resulting in $50 billion in losses each year. Losses due to white spot syndrome virus in farmed shrimp alone are estimated to reach up to $3.5 billion each year, the announcement said.

Currently, the aquaculture industry relies heavily on probiotics, synthetic chemicals and antibiotics to fight the diseases that can devastate shrimp farms worldwide. The Pebble Labs Directed Biotics technology harnesses an animal's natural immunity with a bacteria and redirects it to suppress white spot syndrome virus, the companies said.

"Pebble Labs has the first sustainable technology to safely and effectively address the viral pathogens we are facing in large-scale aquaculture," said Dr. Pierre Henning, director of the aquaculture division at Virbac. "Working with Pebble Labs to share their solution with farmers is a high priority for our aquaculture division this year, and we are committed to moving this project along quickly."

Terms of the joint development agreement include executing feasibility studies to validate Pebble Labs' technology, solution development plans, regulatory clearance and approval and discussion of future products and commercial applications, in addition to treating white spot syndrome virus in aquaculture.

"Pebble Labs is looking forward to seeing Directed Biotics technology in the pond this year," Pebble Labs president David G. Morgan said. "This agreement with Virbac moves our revolutionary products toward the market, which will reduce the need for antibiotics in food production and improve food security worldwide."

Pebble Labs USA Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Los Alamos, N.M., that is developing solutions to address some of the world's biggest challenges in agriculture and aquaculture.

France-based Virbac is the world's seventh-largest veterinary pharmaceutical group and a leading player in aquaculture health.