GM field tests planned
Aquabounty Technologies has announced plans to run field trials with eggs of its GM Aquadvantage Salmon (AAS).
The biotechnology company reported that, during 2015, it continued its plan to expand its international commercial efforts, by seeking to gain approval for exporting AAS eggs for local field trials - initially in Argentina, Brazil and China.
“The timescales involved in this are outside our control, however, the company is encouraged by the progress that has been made to date, and particularly in Argentina and Brazil whose combined markets consume over 80,000 metric tonnes of Atlantic salmon annually”, said the company, adding that “in Panama, we moved forward on a regulatory application for the commercial production, sale and consumption of AAS. Though the regulatory pathway is new, we expect to receive approval in 2016.”
Aquabounty also progressed the development of its Aquadvantage Trout (AAT) line of finfish, which grows faster than traditional rainbow trout.
“We are now designing the required studies in preparation for the regulatory review process,” said the company in its latest quarterly report.
Ronald Stotish, CEO of Aquabounty, stated that “the approval of the Aquadvantage Salmon New Animal Drug Application in November 2015 was a milestone for Aquabounty as well as a giant step forward for global food production. We believe Aquadvantage will improve productivity and sustainability for an important food product and opens the door for the application of similar and new approaches to global protein production. We are now preparing for the commercialization phase and look forward to continuing to build our business and create new opportunities to meet the challenges of safe and sustainable food production.”
