USDA Granted Conditional License for Poultry Biologic

The federal agency approved a non-antibiotic treatment to reduce poultry mortality from necrotic enteritis.

Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Biotech

Isometric editorial illustration of a laboratory vial and grain on a geometric platform, representing a new poultry health biologic. — The USDA has granted a conditional license to Diamond Animal Health for a non-antibiotic poultry treatment aimed at reducing mortality from necrotic enteritis. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Do you support the shift toward non-antibiotic technologies for raising poultry?

The USDA has issued a conditional license to Diamond Animal Health for the biologic CPerf LLV, developed by BiomEdit. The product is intended to serve as a non-antibiotic treatment for Clostridium perfringens toxins in poultry.

Why it matters

This approval provides a new non-antibiotic tool to combat necrotic enteritis in broilers, a disease that causes an estimated $6 billion in annual global losses. The conditional license facilitates real-world data collection necessary for eventual full licensure.

Clinical study data demonstrated that mortality rates in treated birds dropped to 6.6% compared to 13.1% in control groups, representing a 48.7% reduction in necrotic enteritis mortality. The product is currently slated for deployment in over 35 million broilers.

The players

BiomEdit

A biotech company focused on developing novel animal health solutions through microbiome research.

Diamond Animal Health

A veterinary pharmaceutical manufacturing firm that serves as the license holder for CPerf LLV.

USDA

The United States Department of Agriculture is the federal agency responsible for overseeing animal health and agricultural safety.

The details

The biologic works by targeting Clostridium perfringens toxins, offering an alternative to traditional antibiotic treatments. BiomEdit has already begun a commercial evaluation program with three poultry producers in the United States to assess performance in live production environments.

August 2026: BiomEdit acquired Folium Science assets.
September 29, 2026: The regulatory approval was announced.

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The Tech Race

This development aligns with the USDA's conditional licensure pathway for veterinary biologics, which balances rapid innovation with safety. The move reflects a broader industry shift toward non-antibiotic alternatives as poultry producers face increasing regulatory pressure and demand for sustainable protein.

The introduction of this biologic provides poultry producers with a new method to reduce mortality without relying on antibiotics. This shift may help stabilize production costs and support long-term sustainability efforts in the agricultural supply chain.

The takeaway

The successful deployment of this biologic could significantly lower production losses associated with necrotic enteritis. Industry stakeholders should monitor the results of the initial three-producer evaluation program to gauge the product's long-term commercial efficacy.

What happens next

BiomEdit is currently conducting a Series C financing round intended to fund the upcoming commercial launch and further pipeline development of the product, which is planned for rebranding as Optavant upon receiving full licensure.