Squalene is a a popular ingredient in cosmetic products, but many people don’t realise that it is harvested from shark livers. As the world races to find a COVID-19 vaccine, this compound is being tested as a possible additive.
If the vaccine containing squalene is effective, Shark Allies predicts that some 500,000 sharks could be killed.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released data pertaining to vaccines in clinical and pre-clinical evaluation. There are 151 candidate vaccines in preclinical evaluation and 42 candidate vaccines in clinical evaluation as of October 2.
‘Of these vaccines, 19 use adjuvants, and 5 of those adjuvants are shark squalene based (GSK, Clover Biopharmaceuticals, Seqirus/University of Queensland/CSL, Medicago Inc. and Farmacologós veterinarios SAC/Universidad Peruana Cayetana Heredia). We know of at least one adjuvant, called “Matrix-M”, which is a saponin-based adjuvant. Saponin is a plant-derived ingredient. However, there is not much transparency as to the ingredients of many of these vaccines and adjuvants, so it is difficult to know exactly the composition or ingredients of some of the other adjuvants,’ said Shark Allies in a statement.
‘From a chemical standpoint, squalene from different sources should be identical, as its chemical structure remains the same (C30H50), meaning that non-animal squalene should be just as effective in vaccines as shark squalene.
‘The efficacy of non-animal squalene in adjuvanted vaccines is largely unknown, however, as only one study has found that the effects of non-animal squalene is as effective as shark squalene in a vaccine.
‘If more research can be done on this topic, and all squalene has the same effect in vaccines, pharmaceutical companies may be able to change this ingredient fairly seamlessly without having to reevaluate their vaccines.
‘Olive oil squalene is already being used in adjuvants, but at a small scale, showing the potential for non-animal squalene in the pharmaceutical industry,’ the statement continued.
Shark Allies executive director Stefanie Brendl said to NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday: ‘The problem is that squalene, used as an ingredient in a COVID-19 vaccine, will be seen as something that’s unavoidable, and then as it becomes tested, it becomes the normal ingredient, and nothing else will be tested.’
Preserving this oceanic predator is of the utmost importance. Sahrks play a vital role in keeping marine ecosystems stable.
‘They keep our fish stock healthy, they keep the food chain intact, they keep diseases out of other animal populations,’ said Brendl. ‘Good luck trying to replace that when we lose them.’
Shark Allies estimates that 2.7million sharks are killed each year for their squalene for the cosmetic industry.
If you would like to sign Shark Allies’ petition to get vaccine producers to find a more sustainable solution than shark squalene, click here.
Image: Unsplash
