Aqua

Background

Intense aquaculture requires the use of vaccines against pathogens and subsequent diseases to provide healthy, efficient and economic sustainable aquaculture.

The Atlantic Salmon aquaculture success story of Norway is an example where the development of proper vaccines were crucial to the sustainability of the at the time emerging industry. In the 1980-ies it was seriously challenged and to survive the industry had to use substantial amounts of antibiotics. The therapeuticals are efficient however non-discriminate use is far from favorable, besides consumer concerns decided against the continued use of antibiotics.

The development and subsequent use of vaccines showed immediate effect and is a loud statement to the fact that good vaccines helps to stimulate the immune system of the fish so that therapeuticals are not needed.

Infectious diseases
The infectious diseases are either bacterial or viral. The bacterial infections can be treated in various ways including vaccines. The viral infections can not be treated, only be vaccinated against.

Negative impact of use of Antibiotics
The indiscriminate use of antibiotics in aquaculture has become a serious threat to the well-being of man. The usage of antibiotics induces bacterial resistance to the antibiotics, also promoting cross-resistance to other antibiotics. Increased reports of “incurable” diseases are the result of this unhealthy practice. Governments throughout are strongly limiting the use of these medicines.

Vaccines
Sustainable development of aquaculture will rely on disease prevention. There is a profound and consistent general positive attitude towards vaccines. Vaccines stimulate the inherent immune system to fight off diseases.

- Prevention is better than curing!
- Vaccination must be an integrated part of fish health management

Master Cell Bank and Vector development - a classical and well-proven technology -

The Cell Banks are unique cell lines for cultivation of specific virus, which is the basis for vaccine development and manufacturing. They are developed to have extremely high productivity as well as stability.

Unique virus isolates are with perfect match with the cell lines the fundamentals for high and predictable productivity. This is all founded on unique cell culture competence, based on studies using functional genomics and microchip technology.

Principles of Master Cell Bank development.
The killed vaccines and live vaccines require cell lines. The recombinant, sub-unit vaccines and DNA vaccines both require cell lines prior to vector development. This means all generally accepted vaccines today for fish in one way or the other require the usage of a cell line suitable to the vaccine development and someone with the ability to do it industrially and economically viable.

The concept of Cell Bank development - cell and virus banks
Master Cell Line.
- Well established methods of developing cell lines
- Focus on growth characteristics of the cell line
- Yield

Master Virus
- Development of virus seed goes hand in hand with cell line development
- Virus and cells have developed an intimate relationship through evolution – being used for improved growth and yield

Cell Bank Strategies
Focusing on new diseases in aquaculture and viral diseases that cannot be treated with antimicrobials.
- Early stage involvement in vaccine development

Documentation of master cell line and master virus as required
- Extraneous agents testing
- Stability (genetic)
- Tumorigenicity
- Passage story
- Origin/material documentation
- Identity

Regulatory knowledge