USDA Granted Conditional License for Poultry Biologic

The CPerf LLV biologic offers a non-antibiotic treatment for necrotic enteritis in U.S. poultry production.

Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Biotech

Isometric editorial illustration of a glass vial filled with golden liquid, representing a new biological treatment for livestock. — The USDA has issued a conditional license for CPerf LLV, a non-antibiotic biologic developed by BiomEdit to treat necrotic enteritis in poultry. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The USDA has issued a conditional license for the biologic CPerf LLV, a treatment designed to combat necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens. The biologic, held by Diamond Animal Health and developed by BiomEdit, is currently entering a commercial evaluation program across three U.S. poultry producers.

Why it matters

This development introduces a non-antibiotic method to manage necrotic enteritis, a condition that causes significant mortality in the poultry industry. By providing an alternative to traditional antibiotics, it addresses both animal health outcomes and shifting regulatory pressures on livestock medication.

The biologic CPerf LLV targets Clostridium perfringens toxins to prevent mortality. In clinical trials, birds receiving the treatment demonstrated a 48.7% reduction in mortality compared to challenged control groups.

The players

BiomEdit

A biotechnology company focused on microbiome-based animal health solutions and pathogen control.

Diamond Animal Health

A contract manufacturer and development partner providing the regulatory framework for the biologic.

The details

CPerf LLV acts as a biological treatment targeting the toxins produced by the bacteria Clostridium perfringens, which is the primary cause of necrotic enteritis—a severe intestinal infection in poultry. BiomEdit utilized technology assets acquired from Folium Science to develop this delivery platform. The conditional license granted by the USDA allows for immediate market evaluation and the collection of real-world efficacy data required to support a full licensure application.

August 2026: BiomEdit completed the acquisition of Folium Science assets.
September 29, 2026: Official news of the conditional license was released.

The Tech Race

The rollout of CPerf LLV signals a strategic expansion for BiomEdit following its acquisition of Folium Science assets. This moves the company closer to its goal of broad deployment in over 35 million broilers, directly competing with traditional antibiotic treatments.

Poultry producers participating in the initial commercial evaluation program are the first to integrate this non-antibiotic treatment into their operations. While current deployment is limited to these partners, the transition to full licensure will eventually make the product available for use across the broader U.S. broiler industry.

The takeaway

This biologic provides a scalable, non-antibiotic tool to combat necrotic enteritis losses which cost the global industry $6 billion annually. Industry participants should monitor the transition from CPerf LLV to the commercial brand name Optavant upon receipt of full licensure.