From the pharmaceutical and food industries to guarantor of planetary sustainability: the role of blue biotechnology in the face of global challenges

In May 2021, the European Commission proposed a new approach to the blue economy in the European Union aimed at industries and sectors related to oceans, seas, and coasts. Sustainable Blue Economy is an essential pillar for achieving the goals of the European Green Deal, as the health of our oceans and seas is a prerequisite for a prosperous Blue Economy.

This is an important step in a context where pollution, overfishing, destruction of natural habitats, and the climate crisis pose a significant threat to the wealth of marine biodiversity, the foundation of the Blue Economy.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food points out that the Blue Economy encompasses all economic activities dependent on the sea; the different sectors that make up the Blue Economy are interdependent (fishing, aquaculture and marine biotechnology, tourism, navigation, and maritime transport, among others), as they are based on common competencies and shared infrastructures (ports, logistics networks, and power distribution), as well as the sustainable use of marine resources.

The latest figures published by the EU Blue Economy Observatory report that established sectors of the European Union's Blue Economy directly employ nearly 4.5 million people, generated around 650 billion euros in turnover, and 176 billion euros in gross value added.

Blue biotechnology: a great potential yet to be explored

To address the climate and biodiversity crisis, we need healthy seas and oceans, as well as sustainable use of their resources that enables the creation of alternatives to fossil fuels and traditional food production.

Biotechnology allows for the use and development of clean and low-carbon technologies, as well as opportunities in data and analysis; solutions to water pollution and marine plastics, techniques for monitoring marine habitats, and increasing resilience to the effects of climate change. Algae, bacteria, fungi, and invertebrates are among the marine resources used as raw materials in the blue bioeconomy and biotechnology.

Every year, hundreds of new marine compounds are discovered, demonstrating the innovative nature and potential of the sector, with biotechnology being a tool that will not only increase the quality and reliability of these compounds but also improve their utilization and obtain new products and materials from them.

All these resources are transformed by blue biotechnology into a wide variety of applications such as food and dietary supplements; nutraceuticals; animal feed; cosmetics; fertilizers and biostimulants; biomaterials; bioremediation mechanisms; biofuels or biopharmaceuticals. On this World Water Day, we analyze the important work that some of the biotechnological companies partnered with AseBio are doing in this field.

"Blue biotechnology can be considered to be in the early stages of its development, despite all the advances made in recent years," argues Joaquín Pozo Dengra, R&D Director of Biorizon Biotech. "It stands out as an area of significant work with potential applications in various areas such as sustainability, where the aquatic environment is an important source of food, energy, and renewable raw materials. Likewise, the seas and oceans harbor unique biodiversity and a large number of chemical compounds with pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic, and industrial potential."

"Blue biotechnology enables the exploration and discovery of new bioactive compounds that can be used in a variety of applications. Furthermore, blue biotechnology can contribute to mitigating the effects of climate change by developing solutions for carbon capture and storage, as well as for the production of biofuels and renewable materials, in addition to offering tools for the bioremediation of water pollutants and the restoration of aquatic ecosystems, all driven by the significant advances being made in molecular biology, genomics, bioinformatics, including genetic engineering of aquatic organisms to improve their growth and their ability to produce industrially relevant compounds," adds Biorizon Biotech.

Algae, one of the fundamental raw materials of blue biotechnology

Algae are one of the most utilized marine resources as raw material in various areas of blue biotechnology. "The production of algae in particular requires multidisciplinary collaboration among scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and local communities. Multidisciplinary efforts are needed to address the technical, economic, social, and environmental challenges associated with large-scale algae cultivation," explains Juan Luis Gómez Pinchetti, Scientific Director & Head of the Biotechnology Unit at the Spanish Algae Bank.

Currently, the European Union is implementing policies, actions, and support programs that encourage research and investment in algae production (such as tax incentives, subsidies for research and development projects, and regulations promoting sustainable algae cultivation and responsible use of marine resources), given its potential. However, it is still necessary to continue investing in research and development related to algae cultivation, as well as to develop strong markets and value chains for algae-derived products (food, bioplastics, cosmetics, biofuels, or pharmaceuticals), in addition to working on education and public awareness about the benefits of aquaculture and algae production.

"For this, it is essential to adopt approaches to sustainable resource management to ensure that algae cultivation is carried out responsibly and environmentally friendly. This includes protecting sensitive marine ecosystems, mitigating negative environmental impacts, and promoting sustainable cultivation practices," argue from the Spanish Algae Bank.

Blue biotechnology: towards more sustainable agriculture

Another major challenge addressed by blue biotechnology is sustainable agriculture. "It significantly contributes to providing solutions to improve crop nutrition, control pests and diseases, increase plant resistance, and promote healthy and productive growth. These solutions can help reduce dependence on synthetic agrochemicals and improve the resilience of agricultural systems to environmental and climate challenges," says the R&D Director of Biorizon Biotech in this regard.

"Microalgae biotechnology is part of blue biotechnology. From microalgae, we can obtain different types of naturally derived products with bio-stimulant and bio-fertilizer activity, as well as extracts with activity against pests and diseases. These bioproducts for agriculture, originating from microalgae, contribute to reducing the use of mineral fertilizers and synthetic chemical pesticides, thus directly contributing to improving the sustainability of agricultural practices," continue from Biorizon Biotech. They emphasize that during the cultivation process of these microorganisms, for every kilogram of microalgal biomass they produce, they capture up to 2 kilograms of CO2. Furthermore, the use of products based on microalgae improves soil health, promoting the development of their natural microbiota.

In this regard, the Spanish Algae Bank explains that the production and transformation of biomass and the generation of bioactives from microalgae allow establishing a new agro-industrial ecosystem with a series of significant benefits related to environmental sustainability (microalgae can be cultivated in closed or semi-open systems, reducing pressure on land and freshwater); the carbon footprint of biomass and bioactive algae production is relatively low; it reports high productivity and rapid growth; as well as the great diversity of metabolites derived from this activity (microalgae are a rich source of bioactive compounds, such as lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, pigments, vitamins, and antioxidants) that have a wide range of applications in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, chemical, and energy industries.

Seas and oceans as a therapeutic platform

PharmaMar explores and investigates the vast and largely unknown marine ecosystem with the aim of finding compounds with properties to develop therapies that can address diseases such as cancer. "Our history dates back to 1986 when we were pioneers in this area, founding our company with the purpose of seeking solutions for diseases like cancer in marine invertebrates. In fact, we managed to be the first company in the world to obtain approval for a marine-origin antitumor drug," they explain from the company.

"The sea is our therapeutic platform," they share as the basis of their research process, which begins with marine expeditions aimed at collecting marine invertebrates worldwide, "always subject to the current legislation of each country and international treaties, such as the Nagoya Protocol," they assert. A meticulous work that has resulted in the largest collection of marine organism samples with over 400,000 specimens stored in their facilities.

"Once the samples are collected, they undergo exhaustive analysis to determine if they possess antitumor activity. If so, we work on obtaining the chemical synthesis of the identified compounds, which allows us to reproduce the molecules and continue with the research," they explain. They then conduct preclinical studies to evaluate the activity of the compounds against various types of tumors, as well as their safety profile. Finally, they present the data obtained in clinical trials to the different regulatory agencies with the aim of obtaining product approval and thus bringing innovative therapies to patients in need.

The major challenges facing blue biotechnology

Two of the major challenges facing blue biotechnology are environmental and economic sustainability. Environmental sustainability involves developing methods for exploiting marine resources that are respectful of marine ecosystems and minimize associated environmental impacts. "This requires finding a balance between resource utilization and the conservation of marine biodiversity," argue from Pharmamar.

On the other hand, economic sustainability is essential to ensure the long-term viability of blue biotechnology, "ensuring that economic activities contribute to economic growth while promoting the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources," defend from the biotechnology company.

"Blue biotechnology is driving the development of emerging technologies, such as synthetic biology applied to marine organisms, aquaculture of marine species for food production, and bioremediation for the removal of contaminants in aquatic environments. It is contributing to the growth of the blue economy, which encompasses all economic activities related to the oceans. This includes sectors such as fishing, coastal tourism, maritime transportation, renewable energy, and biotechnology, among others," point out from the Spanish Bank of Algae, emphasizing the important role of blue biotechnology in addressing global challenges such as resource scarcity in the face of growing pressure on land resources and planetary sustainability.

Biomar MT explores the microbiological biodiversity of marine ecosystems, generating collections of bacteria, fungi, and microalgae from which extracts with diverse biological activities are obtained. Marian Vinuesa Navarro, head of the Mycology Department, identifies two types of challenges.

On one hand, there are those related to the use of marine resources. "The technical and engineering challenge of accessing unexplored niches with still unknown biodiversity, especially in deep-sea areas, and pressure, underwater volcanoes, etc., makes it difficult to delve into the discovery of the incalculable biological wealth of the oceans. When technically feasible, we will face another challenge, as we will have access to samples whose microbiological diversity will be difficult to extract, coming from habitats difficult to replicate," she argues, focusing on the importance that metagenomic analyses will play in assessing biodiversity.

"On the other hand, natural products derived from marine microorganisms, such as pesticides, must overcome the challenge of matching the efficacy of synthetic products. However, their biodegradability and lower environmental impact are driving their use," add from Biomar MT.

Regarding the challenges derived from the maintenance and conservation of the marine environment, Vinuesa concludes: "The main challenge is to prevent the increasing pollution of the waters, especially with plastics, micro and nano-plastics, which are already ubiquitous in the waters and in aquatic organisms. The magnitude of this problem is enormous and requires urgent solutions. The first step is to stop pollution.