Dalan Animal Health Raises $4.5M in Series Seed 3 Funding to Accelerate Global Expansion and Product Pipeline

Dalan Animal Health logo

Key Points:

  1. $4.5 million in Series Seed 3 funding, led by Prime Movers Lab with participation from At One Ventures, bringing the company’s total funding to $10 million.
  2. The funding will accelerate Dalan’s product pipeline and facilitate its global expansion, aiming to protect the health of honeybees and secure the global food supply.
  3. Dalan’s pioneering work in developing the world’s first honeybee vaccine represents a significant market opportunity, with the potential to transform the agricultural sector and increase yields for farmers who rely on pollination for their crops.

ATHENS, GA. — Tuesday, June 27, 2023  – Dalan Animal Health, Inc. (“Dalan”), 

a pioneering biotech company in insect health, today announced the successful closure of a $4.5 million Series Seed 3 funding round. The round was led by Prime Movers Lab with participation from At One Ventures, bringing Dalan’s total funding to $10 million.

The additional funding will enable Dalan to expedite its product pipeline and expand its operations beyond the United States. With the largest honeybee sector residing in Europe, boasting 20 million hives compared to the US’s 2.67 million, the global need for sustainable solutions in bee health is evident. Dalan is committed to making its groundbreaking technology available where it is most needed, as swiftly as possible.

“Dalan’s innovative approach to insect health represents a significant market opportunity,” said Dakin Sloss, Founder and General Partner of Prime Movers Lab. “Their pioneering work in developing the world’s first honeybee vaccine has the potential to transform the agricultural sector and secure the global food supply.”

The recent approval of Dalan’s first-of-its-kind honeybee vaccine by the USDA has highlighted the global interest and pressing need for sustainable solutions in the industry. The vaccine, designed to protect honeybees against the devastating American Foulbrood disease, is set to improve the health and productivity of honeybee colonies, thereby increasing yields for farmers who rely on pollination for their crops.

“Most of terrestrial biomass is plants, and most of those are flowering plants. The first vaccine to protect this commercially critical pollinator is a significant stride for protecting both biodiversity and our food supply,” said Tom Chi, Founder of At One Ventures.

Annette Kleiser, CEO of Dalan Animal Health, expressed her gratitude for the support and shared her vision for the future. “We are excited to accelerate our product pipeline and expand our reach globally. Our work is vital for sustainable agriculture, and this funding will help us bring our solutions to where they are needed most.”

The honey bee vaccine, manufactured by Diamond Animal Health (Des Moines, IA), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Heska (NASDAQ: HSKA), will initially be distributed on a limited basis to commercial beekeepers and queen producers. Beekeepers interested in safeguarding their colonies with Dalan’s vaccine can visit the website at https://www.dalan.com/contact or call 844-483-2526.

About the vaccine

Dalan’s vaccine uses killed whole-cell Paenibacillus larvae bacteria and is administered by mixing it into queen feed consumed by worker bees. The vaccine is incorporated into the royal jelly by the worker bees, who then feed it to the queen. The queen ingests the vaccine, and fragments are deposited in her ovaries, providing immunity to the developing larvae. The non-GMO vaccine can be used in organic agriculture, and pivotal efficacy studies have shown its potential to reduce larval death associated with American Foulbrood infections caused by P. larvae.

About Dalan Animal Health, Inc

Dalan Animal Health ( www.dalan.com ) is dedicated to preventing diseases that affect invertebrates, increasing profitability and yield for producers worldwide. This platform technology uses transgenerational immune priming, allowing the maternal animal to pass immune modulators (e.g., antigens, anti-microbial molecules) to the next generation larvae before they hatch. Dalan plans to develop vaccines for other honeybee diseases and underserved industries, such as shrimp, mealworms, and insects used in agriculture. The company is headquartered in Athens, Georgia, at the University of Georgia’s Innovation Hub.

Media Contact:

Ian Murphy

Phone: (310) 689-6397 Email: press@dalan.com

BIO Statement on the Section 232 Pharmaceutical Proclamation

April 4, 2026
April 2, 2026- WASHINGTON, D.C. – John F. Crowley, President and CEO of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) , released the following statement on Section 232 Pharmaceutical Proclamation. “A thriving American biotechnology ecosystem is essential to growing the U.S. economy, strengthening national security, and improving the health and well‑being of everyday Americans. While we appreciate the Administration’s recognition of the need for tariff exemptions for certain critical biotech products, the reality is that any tariffs on America’s medicines will raise costs, impede domestic manufacturing, and delay the development of new treatments - all while doing nothing to enhance our national security. “U.S. biotech companies have been eager to expand investments here at home, but tariffs, along with an uncertain policy environment and efforts to force “most‑favored nation” schemes, work directly against that goal. The risks are especially acute for small and mid‑size biotech companies, which develop more than half of all FDA‑approved medicines yet often lack the capital to build dedicated manufacturing facilities as they weather an industry defined by high costs, long development timelines, and significant risk. “The fact is: tariffs divert scarce resources away from research and development, weaken American biotech against China’s rising industry, and ultimately, harm health and economic wellbeing of Americans. “We stand ready to work with the Administration on a long‑term strategy that encourages biotechnology investment, reduces the time, cost, and uncertainty of developing new medicines, expands U.S. biomanufacturing capacity, and ensures American innovation is fairly valued overseas. Tariffs and MFN are not the answer." Source - https://www.bio.org/press-release/bio-statement-section-232-pharmaceutical-proclamation

Georgia Life Sciences Announces 2026 Georgia BioGENEius Challenge Winner

April 1, 2026
Atlanta, GA (April 1, 2026) – Georgia Life Sciences (GLS) is proud to announce that Saisurya Lakkimsetti, a junior at Lakeside High School in Columbia County, has been named the winner of the 2026 Georgia BioGENEius Challenge. The Georgia BioGENEius Challenge took place, as part of the statewide Georgia Science and Engineering Fair (GSEF) at the Classic Center in Athens, Georgia. Forty-seven students from across Georgia competed for this year’s title and cash prize. Jaehyeon Lee, an 11th-grade student from Walton High School, was named runner-up in this year’s competition. The Georgia BioGENEius Challenge recognizes outstanding high school students who are conducting innovative biotechnology research with real-world applications. This year’s top projects, presented in the Global Healthcare Challenge track, demonstrated exceptional scientific rigor and forward-thinking potential in addressing critical healthcare challenges. Saisurya’s research focuses on identifying potential inhibitors for Endocan, a protein known to play a role in glioblastoma tumor growth. Using advanced computational modeling techniques—including AlphaFold and molecular docking tools—she screened thousands of small molecules to identify compounds that may block tumor-promoting signaling pathways. Her work identified several promising candidates that could serve as a foundation for future drug development targeting glioblastoma. Jaehyeon’s project investigates how varying glucose concentrations affect regeneration in planaria, modeling impaired wound healing in diabetic conditions. By testing graded glucose environments and measuring regeneration indicators such as growth and differentiation, Jaehyeon demonstrated that lower glucose levels enhance regeneration while higher levels inhibit healing. The study establishes a model to better understand hyperglycemia’s impact on diabetic wound healing. “The work by these students is a powerful example of the innovation and determination we see in Georgia’s next generation of life sciences leaders,” said Maria Thacker Goethe, President and CEO of Georgia Life Sciences. “The BioGENEius Challenge is critical because it provides students with a platform to apply cutting-edge science to real-world problems, while also strengthening the future workforce that will drive breakthroughs in healthcare, biotechnology, and beyond.” The Georgia BioGENEius Challenge is part of Georgia Life Sciences’ broader commitment to advancing workforce development and fostering innovation across the state’s rapidly growing life sciences ecosystem. Judging the 2026 Georgia BioGENEius Challenge: Ian Biggs; Ralph Cordell, CDC; Alex Harvey, ViaMune; Jamie Graham, Smith Gambrell Russell; and Evan Scullin, LuminiSci.

Georgia Life Science's Feature in Very First Atlanta Edition of Inside Medicine

March 24, 2026
Georgia Life Sciences is thrilled to be featured in the very first Atlanta edition of Inside Medicine . This inaugural issue represents something truly special. Atlanta’s healthcare and life sciences community is driven by innovation, collaboration, and outstanding leadership—and we’re honored to be part of this exciting launch. Also in the issue, GLS's Kennedy Dumas is featured, sharing her journey on how observation and research evolved into a powerful practice of journaling. As the founder of Stationery Black, she creates notebooks designed to showcase, uplift, and inspire people of color. Read the full article here.
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