Platforms to accelerate biomanufacturing of enzyme and probiotic animal feed supplements: discovery considerations and manufacturing implications

Abstract

Probiotics and enzymes are important components of the global livestock feed supplement market, which is expected to be approximately US$56 billion by 2027. They make essential contributions to animal health and productivity and are very important for on-farm economics, as well as feed supplement and bulk feed businesses. Despite the variety of on-market products, there remains a strong drive to develop new function or more effective enzymes (e.g. more active or stable) and probiotics (e.g. for specific health or nutrition requirements) that can be produced economically and commercialised to gain market share. Various large and established supplement development, manufacture and supply companies with highly refined, efficient and vertically integrated processes dominate the market. In contrast, many challenges exist for less established players, such as feed companies, large farming corporations, start-up companies and the research community, to develop and commercialise improved feed supplements. These less established players may have niche markets or needs or may have identified highly novel candidate products through basic or collaborative academia-industry applied research. In these situations, the path from discovery and development to a commercial product is unclear and likely to be very challenging. However, the risk of not progressing is that the value of research investments is not realised, or the needs of specific niche markets are not met. For these situations, new pathways to market based on rapid discovery, production (at various scales), and testing feedback loops, along with appropriate intellectual property management and clear regulatory strategies need to be established. To deliver these new pathways, it is essential to define key performance, production and economic criteria, have a rapid route from laboratory to pilot-scale manufacture and livestock feeding trials, and include all the necessary participants in the value chain from research development, manufacturing, distribution, and regulatory management to the end user. These issues are discussed with reference to the current state-of-the-art and our development of new pathways for a specific enzyme and probiotic based on efficient laboratory-to-market platforms. Although new supplements have been brought closer to market, challenges remain regarding scaling to commercial manufacture for new products without an established market.