Collaborative Research Aims To Discover Effective Treatments for Marine Mammals Poisoned by Toxic Algae

Zymo Research Corporation, Unravel Biosciences, Inc., and Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute (CIMWI) have joined forces in an urgent research initiative to identify drug therapies for marine mammals affected by domoic acid (DA) poisoning. As climate change drives environmental shifts that increase the frequency of harmful phytoplankton blooms, marine life, especially sea lions, face an escalating threat from DA toxicity.

Sea lions and other marine mammals are becoming sickened at alarming rates after consuming fish that have ingested high concentrations of DA-producing phytoplankton. DA poisoning affects the brain and heart and can cause disorientation, vomiting, seizures, and, in severe cases, death.  California has experienced three consecutive years of devastating algal blooms that release harmful levels of DA, an event of unprecedented frequency and impact. Thousands of animals have been reported exhibiting signs of DA poisoning on California beaches, with most cases affecting adult female California sea lions. Many rescued animals die or need to be humanely euthanized as their symptoms progress. Currently, no effective therapies are available to treat the condition in marine mammals, making the research collaboration a critical step toward finding a solution.

Marine mammals act as sentinel species, providing crucial insight into the presence of harmful toxins in the oceans that can threaten human health. These marine sentinels are increasingly impacted by climate change and human activities, which contribute to harmful algal blooms, oceanic shifts that disrupt food sources, habitat destruction, and other life-threatening challenges. The domoic acid toxin also poses a severe health risk to humans, as it can cause Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP) when people consume contaminated shellfish. Symptoms of ASP include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headaches, and dizziness. In more severe cases, it can lead to breathing difficulties, confusion, disorientation, heart complications, or seizures.

“Domoic acid poisoning has become a devastating issue along the California Coast,” said Keith Booher, PhD, Director of Research Services at Zymo Research, based in Irvine, CA. “We’re excited to partner with CIMWI and Unravel Biosciences to explore novel treatment options that could save the lives of these majestic animals.”

The research initiative will begin by collecting blood and nasal swab samples from DA-poisoned sea lions rescued from southern California beaches and under the care of CIMWI. Researchers will place the swabs into a specialized preservation liquid called DNA/RNA Shield™, which preserves nucleic acids at the point of collection and under ambient conditions until the samples can be returned to the lab for further analysis. The samples will be processed by Zymo Research to generate gene expression datasets through RNA sequencing. The RNA data will then be analyzed by Unravel Biosciences using their proprietary computational AI drug discovery platform, BioNAV™, to predict the most promising drug candidates to treat DA poisoning. CIMWI veterinarians will use this information with marine mammals suffering from DA poisoning to develop treatment strategies aimed at increasing their chances of survival and release into the wild.

“Our BioNAV™ platform has predicted effective drug treatments for multiple complex human diseases ranging from neurogenetic seizure disorders to infectious disease,” said Richard Novak, PhD, CEO and Founder of Unravel Biosciences. “We are excited to apply our cutting-edge technology to partner with Zymo Research and CIMWI to make a real impact in mitigating the harmful effects of domoic acid on marine mammals and demonstrate the potential to tackle otherwise insurmountable problems in nature as much as in the clinic.”

Sam Dover, DVM, CIMWI Executive Director and Director of Veterinary Medicine, Research & Conservation, added: “We are seeing an unprecedented number of marine animals suffering from domoic acid toxicity and harmful algal blooms are occurring with greater frequency and higher levels of toxin. This collaboration offers a glimmer of hope for finding a treatment that could alleviate suffering and save countless lives.”

The research partners are optimistic that outcomes of the study could pave the way for groundbreaking treatment protocols, not only for sea lions but also for other marine species affected by DA poisoning and other environmental and manmade challenges.