IgY Industries and Markets

Abstract

Applications of the knowledge of avian IgY biology from establishing proof-of-concept studies to the formation of new industries and markets has been very poorly documented. It is particularly relevant to clearly present to a broader audience the real-world companies and industries that are translating the unique capabilities of birds and their antibodies into new products and services with worldwide impact. Herein we showcase a selection of what we termed IgY companies and elucidate how these are exploiting opportunities in areas such as biopharmaceuticals, functional foods or cosmetics, animal nutrition, large scale IgY manufacture or even vaccine production. A brief overview of the current IgY-technology intellectual property landscape and its peculiarities is also presented.