Phycovax LLC

Phycovax LLC is a self-certified small disadvantaged business registered in SAM.gov, located in Carlsbad, California. As a corporate entity and limited liability company, the firm specializes in developing innovative biotechnology solutions centered on microalgae, specifically diatoms, for agricultural and aquaculture applications. The company focuses on engineering diatoms to create novel vaccine technologies that can be integrated into feed systems, offering potential breakthroughs in disease prevention and management across different animal production sectors.

The federal grant awards Phycovax LLC has received demonstrate its expertise in developing microalgae-based oral vaccines for various agricultural applications. Through three separate Project Grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, the company has pursued vaccine development targeting different animal health challenges. These grants include a $175,000 project to develop a feed-based vaccine for reducing Salmonella in poultry, a $649,892 project to create an oral vaccine against lactococcosis in trout, and a prior grant investigating algae-based feed vaccines for tilapia to protect against piscine francisellosis. Each project involves engineering diatoms to produce specific proteins that can stimulate immune responses when incorporated into animal feed, presenting an innovative approach to disease prevention that offers potential advantages over traditional injection-based vaccination methods. The research collaborations have involved partnerships with institutions like the University of California Davis, highlighting Phycovax LLC's commitment to developing scientifically rigorous and practically applicable biotechnology solutions.