Irish biotech Ovagen believes study can 'transform' global vaccine manufacture
The company carried out its breakthrough study into yellow fever virus yield. Conducted at the UK's Pirbright Institute, the comparative study showed that Ovagen's Germ Free embryonated chicken eggs delivered up to 7,600 doses of yellow fever virus per egg compared to just 422 doses per egg using current industry standards.
Speaking about the results of the study, Dr. Catherine Caulfield, CEO of Ovagen said:
"What we have developed isn't incremental, it's a complete rethink of the vaccine manufacturing process," said Ovagen chief executive Dr Catherine Caulfield. "Our germ free egg platform eliminates bacterial contamination and reduces the need for antibiotics in vaccine production, while delivering significantly higher viral yield.
"This is high-impact science with high-value commercial outcomes.'
The comparative study showed that Ovagen's Germ Free embryonated chicken eggs delivered up to 7,600 doses of yellow fever virus 17D per egg compared to just 422 doses per Specified Pathogen-Free (SPF) Egg using current industry standards. With a current global shortfall of 60m yellow fever vaccines per year, Ovagen's technology can help scale up production of yellow fever vaccine production by reducing reliance on key raw material inputs such as SPF eggs, antibiotics, and downstream processing resources.
More than 140,000 eggs would be required to satisfy the current global shortfall using current industry standards compared with just 7,894 eggs using Ovagen's technology.
The improved yield also dramatically reduces the volume of antibiotics typically required in conventional egg-based manufacturing, helping to mitigate risks associated with antimicrobial resistance and lowering overall production costs.
Based in Co Mayo, Ovegen has been supported over €21m in funding from Enterprise Ireland, private investors, promoters funds, venture capital, and the European Innovation Council.
Ovagen operates from a purpose-built state-of-the-art facility and has successfully completed pilot trials with major vaccine manufacturers.
'Enterprise Ireland is proud to support Ovagen as they continue to scale their innovation and ambition. Their germ-free egg technology shows real potential to drive greater efficiency in vaccine manufacturing, and it's encouraging to see this level of innovation emerging from the West of Ireland. Ovagen's progress highlights the strength of Ireland's biotech sector and the impact that Irish companies can have on global health challenges," said Enterprise Ireland head of industrial and life sciences Tom Cusack.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
39 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
Report: Rise in number of women seeking cocaine treatment
Women represent one of the fastest growing groups seeking treatment for cocaine, according to rehabilitation facility the Rutland Centre. Its latest annual report found there was also "a surge" in complex, multi-addiction cases last year. Treatment for cocaine as a primary addiction rose from 17% in 2023 to 23% in 2024, signalling one of the "sharpest single-year increases" recorded for any substance at the centre. In recent months, the Health Research Board said cocaine was the most common problem drug among new treatment cases, accounting for over 30% of all new presentations, overtaking cannabis for the first time. The report said that of the 72% of those who presented at the Rutland Centre with a secondary addiction, gambling comprised 10.5% and cocaine comprised 33%. In response to what it has described as an "escalating crisis", the centre announced plans to open a dedicated inpatient detox unit later this year. While the number of women seeking addiction for cocaine has grown, men made up two-thirds, or 66%, of those treated at the Rutland Centre last year. Women accounted for 34%. The largest age groups seeking help were adults aged 25 to 44, indicating that younger adults and men are continuing to face particularly acute risks. The primary addiction treated at the centre is alcohol, however, the number of people for whom alcohol is their main addiction fell last year. In 2023, alcohol was the primary addiction for 65% of those who attended the centre. In 2024, the figure dropped to 52%. Head of Clinical Services Emma Kavanagh said the profile of addiction is "shifting", which presents "challenges on many levels". "It is no longer isolated to one substance or behaviour - we're seeing high rates of poly-addiction, often accompanied by serious mental health challenges," she said Over 200 people received intensive treatment through the Rutland Centre's residential and outpatient programmes in 2024. The centre also engaged with thousands through aftercare, free screening clinics and family support services. Staff answered over 16,800 calls and facilitated over 11,000 aftercare attendances, which it said underscored the scale of need in Irish society. The Rutland Centre has benefitted from a financial surplus for the first time in years, which allowed for further investment in free community-based services such as the new Addiction Screening Clinic and Family Intervention & Access Programme.
Irish Independent
40 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Cork firm behind plan for massive wind farm deep in the Aussie Outback
DP Energy, which is headquartered in Buttevant, plans to develop Windy Plains Renewable Energy Park, a major renewable energy development located approximately 40 km southeast of Julia Creek in McKinlay Shire, Queensland. The work will combine 197 wind turbines with an installed capacity of up to 1,400 MW and supported by battery energy storage systems (BESS) of around 500 MW / 2000 MWh. The project represents a significant opportunity to contribute to Queensland's renewable energy targets and Australia's broader net-zero goals. DP Energy has been operating for 30 years and has enabled 1 GW of renewable energy generation through 21 significant infrastructure projects worldwide. Currently, DP Energy has a 4.5 GW pipeline of renewable energy projects across Ireland, the UK, Australia and Canada. Hugh Cantwell, DP Energy Australia's Head of Development, said: 'Windy Plains Renewable Energy Park is perfectly positioned to tap into North Queensland's incredible wind resources, resulting in long‑term economic benefits for the region. 'With strong, consistent winds, ample land, and direct access to new transmission infrastructure, it will power both the grid and local growth for decades to come,' he said. The company has several upcoming Irish projects in the pipeline including Lyra wind farm and Aries wind farm, both located in Mayo, could generate up to 100MW and 50MW respectively. Other domestic works include additional early-stage wind farms and projects involving non-grid dependent renewable solutions for large energy users. ADVERTISEMENT DP Energy recently signed a memorandum of understanding with a large Irish utility generator to use green hydrogen as a clean power fuel for electricity generating stations. 'From the outset, our priority is genuine collaboration with local communities, First Nations, and all levels of government. Early, open dialogue means Windy Plains Renewable Energy Park will be designed with community insights at its core, delivering results that will create lasting value for all stakeholders,' Mr Cantwell concluded.
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
Action needs to be taken to reverse recent decline in women securing leadership roles in Irish business
In 2025, it is both remarkable and disappointing that progress in tackling the gender gap in leadership is taking a backwards step in Ireland, with a -24.8 per cent year-on-year drop in women hired into top jobs here. There are no women leading any of the major Irish companies listed on stock markets. Despite making up almost half of the workforce, women continue to be underrepresented in senior ranks across the country. This confirms what many working women in Ireland already know through experience. Progress has hit a speed bump. The question is: Why? Our LinkedIn data shows that this reverse in progress isn't confined to Ireland. Globally, the share of women securing leadership positions has dropped for three consecutive years. While this was the first year where a decline was recorded in Ireland, it's the scale of the drop that should sound alarm bells. READ MORE Ireland still sits marginally above the global median, with women accounting for 34.5 per cent of senior hires compared to 33 per cent globally, but the rate of contraction here last year was stark. Despite years of policymaking, advocacy and increased public scrutiny, the odds are still stacked against women due to structural barriers and systemic biases that block their progression. Those barriers manifest very starkly when we look at the scale of the 'drop-to-the-top' for women in Ireland. At entry level, there is gender parity with men and women holding half of the roles. But women hold just over one third of director-level roles and by the time we get to the C-Suite, female representation has plummeted to one-fifth. In short, there is a staggering 60 per cent drop-off in female representation in the Irish workforce from when women first enter the workforce to those that reach executive level. The structural imbalance in the workforce is a challenge that requires even more focus, as AI is driving the fifth industrial revolution in the global economy. The risk is that, if women are left behind as artificial intelligence reshapes industries, the gender divide will become even more entrenched. We need to act now. There are challenges, but it is also a moment of opportunity. LinkedIn's analysis of what it will take to be a leader in an AI-transformed economy is that it will not be executives with linear, traditional career trajectories. Instead, leadership will increasingly favour individuals with broad, cross-functional experience. And it's women who are more likely to have such multidomain experience. In Ireland, Women are up to 21 per cent more likely than men to bring varied, cross-industry experience to the table, often the result of career pivots. What has at times been seen as a liability, with career journeys potentially shaped by taking time out or flexible work arrangements for caring responsibilities, is now a potential source of strength. That's because agility, empathy, collaboration and the ability to navigate change in spades will be the trademarks of tomorrow's leaders. There are two clear actions that would make a big difference to solving this problem. First, we need to change how we hire. A shift by employers to skills-based hiring, whereby recruiters focus on candidates' abilities over previous titles, allowing them to tap into broader talent pools and ensure better alignment with evolving job demands. Our analysis shows that if employers adopted this approach, they could more than quadruple the talent pool for women in Ireland. Such a shift would not only benefit women, but also help businesses fill skills gaps in what is a very tight market for talent in Ireland at present. Secondly, we should not take a backwards step on flexible work. Women are more likely to be double-jobbing even though they may hold similar positions to their male counterparts. Hybrid work has proved to be a game-changer in giving workers the flexibility to manage their personal and professional responsibilities. We also need to collectively create a workplace culture where there is a better acceptance of parental leave for both men and women. Closing the gender leadership gap in Ireland is not only the right thing to do; it's the smart thing to do. Study after study has shown that companies with greater gender diversity in leadership outperform their peers on profitability, innovation and decision-making. When women are equitably represented at the top, organisations benefit from a wider range of perspectives, more inclusive workplace cultures and stronger employee engagement. In a rapidly evolving economic landscape shaped by AI, digitisation and geopolitical volatility, these attributes are not nice-to-haves, they are business essentials. Ireland cannot afford to leave talent on the table. With skills shortages intensifying across sectors, failing to tap into the full potential of the workforce is economically self-defeating. As our data shows, women bring precisely the kind of cross-functional, adaptive expertise that tomorrow's leaders will require. By embracing inclusive hiring practices, investing in leadership development and removing systemic barriers, Ireland can unlock a deeper, more resilient talent pool that enhances national competitiveness and future-proofs the economy. Ultimately, achieving gender-balanced leadership is not about ticking a box, it's about building a stronger, more dynamic Ireland. The next wave of economic growth will come from diverse, agile and forward-thinking leaders that reflect the richness of society today. That's why we must get to grips with the gender gap in leadership and ensure that we are maximising the full potential of our entire workforce. Sue Duke is vice-president of global public policy at LinkedIn
