Goal: Approve plant-based squalene products for vaccination studies.
Nearly 3 million sharks are killed each year and their livers are harvested for cosmetic and vaccination purposes. This has created a new fishing industry called “livering” where the hunted animal’s liver is removed on the boat, and the carcass is dumped back into the ocean. Help protect these majestic animals, and approve plant-based alternatives for vaccination trials.
Sharks’ are harvested for squalene, an oil from their liver that is used in vaccines as an adjuvant to boost the immune system for a stronger, longer-lasting effect. Sharks use this fatty substance to provide buoyancy. Deep sea sharks are predominantly sought after because their livers are bigger providing more squalene, yet they are in particular danger of extinction. Increasing vaccine demand to match the growing population poses an enormous threat to the already critical shark situation.