Key Takeaways:
- Seek Labs has been awarded $2 million from USDA APHIS under the HPAI Grand Challenge initiative.
- The funding will support development of a mutation-resistant therapeutic for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
- The company will use its Programmable Target Ablation Platform (PTAP) and BioSeeker disease intelligence system.
- The project includes collaboration with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
- The initiative is part of a broader $100 million federal effort to combat avian influenza.
Seek Labs Awarded USDA Funding for HPAI Therapeutic Development
Seek Labs has received a $2 million award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to develop a novel therapeutic targeting highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The grant is part of APHIS’s $100 million HPAI Grand Challenge, a multi-year initiative launched in coordination with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to accelerate innovation in prevention, vaccines, therapeutics, and biosecurity.
The funding comes amid ongoing disruptions caused by avian influenza outbreaks, which have impacted poultry production, contributed to higher egg and poultry prices, and placed strain on food supply systems.
“HPAI is a persistent, evolving threat with real consequences for food security, agricultural stability, and global health preparedness,” said Alison O’Mahony, Senior Vice President of Research at Seek Labs. “By pairing BioSeeker, our disease intelligence layer, with PTAP’s programmable design, we’re building a pan-HPAI therapeutic that is designed for viral evolution and remains effective as the virus evolves.”
Seek Labs' Programmable Platform Designed to Address Viral Evolution
Seek Labs’ approach combines CRISPR-based molecular therapeutics with an AI-driven genomic intelligence system known as BioSeeker. The system continuously analyzes viral genomic data to track mutations in real time. These insights are then used to program therapeutics that target stable genomic regions of the virus, rather than focusing on a single strain.
“As the world faces an accelerating emergence of disease—from natural pandemics to potential AI-generated threats—current response systems remain reactive, slow and unable to adapt as pathogens evolve,” said Jared Bauer, co-founder and CEO of Seek Labs. “At Seek Labs, we approach disease as a dynamic problem that requires an adaptable system.”
Avian influenza remains highly pathogenic in domestic poultry, with the potential to eliminate entire flocks within days. Recent transmission events involving dairy cattle have also raised concerns about broader agricultural and public health implications.
Cross-Border Collaboration and Research Leadership
As part of the award, Seek Labs will collaborate with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The Principal Investigators for the project are Douglas Gladue, Vice President of Veterinary Pharma at Seek Labs, and Yohannes Berhane, Head of the Avian Disease Research Unit at CFIA.
“Highly pathogenic avian influenza continues to pose complex and evolving risks to animal health, food systems, and economic stability,” said Berhane. “Addressing a threat of this scale requires sustained research, scientific innovation, and cross-border collaboration.”
