By Lilian Schaer
Cape Breton-based start-up SEVO Bioscience is using genetic engineering, sunlight, and microalgae to tackle a billion-dollar problem in global aquaculture — and funding from the GreenShoots program is helping to turn that vision into reality.
Led by Dilan Jaunky, SEVO has developed a novel method for delivering oral vaccines that can help farmed salmon fight off sea lice — a parasite that costs the global industry – led by Norway, Scotland, Chile and Canada – over $1.1 billion annually in lost fish and nearly $750 million in control efforts. Affected fish are often repurposed or destroyed, creating additional concerns around environmental impact.
Instead of focusing on a treatment, SEVO’s solution is to prevent the fish from getting sick in the first place.
“We’re using synthetic biology to engineer microalgae to deliver an immune response against sea lice when added to fish feed,” explains Jaunky. “The fish eat it, their systems recognize sea lice proteins and begin building immunity throughout their life cycle — something current vaccines don’t offer past the juvenile stage.”
How it works
Unlike traditional injectable vaccines given when fish are young, this innovation offers lifelong immune support through a pelletized feed supplement. Using genetically modified microalgae, SEVO combines natural growth efficiency with customized disease-fighting capabilities. The result is a more resilient fish population and fewer environmentally harmful treatments like chemical baths — which can harm both fish and the surrounding marine environment.
The company is now preparing for pilot trials in partnership with the Verschuren Centre, testing digestibility and effectiveness before partnering with commercial farms for more extensive trials. The goal: to reduce salmon mortality, cut carbon emissions from wasted fish feed, and give commercial salmon farmers a practical tool to combat growing disease challenges.
GreenShoots funding helps fuel early-stage growth
Jaunky credits the GreenShoots program, a joint initiative by Invest Nova Scotia, the Greenspring Bioinnovation Hub, and Bioenterprise Canada to support early-stage technology companies in Nova Scotia bridge critical development gaps with helping the start-up get off the ground.
“We had just relocated from Montreal to Cape Breton and were setting up our lab at the Verschuren Centre when we heard about GreenShoots. The program helped us get established, run early experiments, and bring in consulting expertise to refine our business model,” he explains. The program also helped SEVO pivot from a focus on nutrition to fish health, develop a market strategy, and complete key business planning milestones — including the creation of two proprietary trade secrets. The funding also accelerated access to essential equipment and materials needed for product testing.
“Having this kind of support made a big difference,” says Jaunky. “We were able to build momentum faster and position ourselves for scale.”
Building a future for ocean health
While salmon is their first target, SEVO’s goal is to eventually serve a wider range of species and diseases, as well as partner with feed manufacturers to embed their innovation into the commercial aquafeed supply chain.
They’ll need to secure novel feed ingredient regulatory approval from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) before entering the market, however, as well as Health Canada approval if they hope to launch into the vaccine market.
“We want to help make aquaculture more sustainable — both environmentally and economically,” Jaunky says. “This technology gives fish a better chance at survival, reduces waste, and helps farmers stay productive.”
In the next year, SEVO hopes to be running full pilot studies on commercial farms. In three to five years, the company aims to expand its pipeline of products and work with more producers across the aquaculture sector.
“We’ve been amazed by the support available here in Atlantic Canada,” says Jaunky. “From the Verschuren Centre to other available expertise at Dalhousie University and National Research Council, there’s a whole ecosystem that can help bring our innovation to life.”
The GreenShoots program was first launched in 2020. Through nine cohorts, the program has supported 48 Nova Scotia-based companies in their journey from concept to commercialization. More information is available at bioenterprise.ca/programs/greenshoots.