Europharma Chile to distribute MacroGard in Chile
Claudio Retamal, Managing Director of Europharma Chile (to the left) at the signing of a new distribution agreement for MacroGard® with Rolf Nordmo, Managing Director of Immunocorp Animal Health AS. In the back Odd Elvebø, Sales Director, Immunocorp Animal Health AS
On the occasion of the official visit of his Royal Highness Prince Haakon to the republic of Chile, and the Norwegian delegation visiting Puerto Montt, the Norwegian company Immunocorp Animal Health AS today signed a distribution agreement for their product MacroGard with the Chilean company Europharma Chile SA.
The Chilean fish farming industry is at present suffering severe losses due to diseases and it is agreed that if the production is to be sustainable major changes in production procedures need to be employed.
As for other intensive animal productions the salmon industry has to live with a constant threat from diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites. For the aquaculture industry this threat is even worse than for animals farmed on land as it is extremely difficult to control microorganisms transported from farm to farm via the water.
So far some of the diseases have been controlled using efficacious vaccines and antibiotics but new diseases are emerging every year. In addition the use of antibiotics may have severe side effects in the animals and it may also cause a threat to humans due to the development of bacteria being resistant to antibiotics. For most viral diseases there are no vaccines available and antibiotics have no effect. Parasites like salmon lice can be controlled using chemicals that kills the lice but the use of these chemicals have side effects both on the fish and the environment.
The future for both the Chilean and Norwegian fish farming industry lies in playing with the environment on the environments own premises. One of them is stimulating the animal’s immune system in a natural way to make the animals more resistant to diseases.
The product MacroGard contains a natural compound found in the cell wall of baker’s yeast. The active substance is beta 1,3/1,6 glucan and when the fish are given this substance in the feed, the immune system will become more active and combat diseases more effectively.
MacroGard has been used in Norwegian fish farms for several years, and is the best documented immuno-stimulant in the market.
The contract signed today between Europharma Chile and Immunocorp Animal Health AS means that MacroGard will be made available to all Chilean fish farmers who want to try a new concept for the prevention of diseases. The Chilean market represents a long term market potential for MacroGard estimated to USD 5 million in annual
In addition to the contract signed with Europharma Chile SA, Immunocorp today also signed a R&D contract with the newly established Chilean research company AVS Chile SA. AVS Chile SA is owned by the Norwegian companies Nofima (former AKVAFORSK) , VESO and SINTEF Fisheries and Aquaculture, which are all internationally leading within their respective fields. Together with its mother companies, AVS Chile SA will cover most topics throughout the value chain within the aquaculture industry. The R&D contract will enable Immunocorp to monitor and evaluate the effects of MacroGard under field conditions when the fish farming industry now moves to region 11 and 12.
