Lucidome Bio raises $9M to test livestock methane vaccine in cattle
What's the deal? New Zealand's Lucidome Bio has raised $9 million in growth equity to develop its livestock methane vaccine. The round drew the Bezos Earth FundDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Meat & Livestock Australia, majority shareholder AgriZeroNZDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and the NZ Ag Emissions Centre.
What's the endgame? The company is building a vaccine that targets methanogenic archaea — the microbes behind methane production in ruminants — by priming the animal's immune system. The aim is to cut emissions without harming animal health or productivity.
Why now? The money will fund a series of cattle trials over the next 18 months, the company's next step toward proving the approach works in live animals. It is also using AI tools, including AlphaFold, to speed up vaccine development.
Why it matters. Methane from livestock is one of agriculture's hardest environmental problems. Most emerging fixes rely on feed additives or controlled feeding — a poor fit for the pasture-based systems common in New Zealand and Australia.
Chair Bridgit Hawkins said the focus is on tools that fit how farmers operate. "Our focus has always been on developing a practical solution that can work across dairy, beef and sheep systems," she said.
What could go wrong? The programme, long housed in New Zealand research before moving to Lucidome, has not yet significantly reduced methane in live animals. The key hurdle remains showing consistent, lasting cuts without hurting productivity.
The signal: The round adds to a growing but still high-risk push to develop methane vaccines. Rival ArkeaBio, which recently drew a further US$11.5M from AgriZeroNZ, has reported proof-of-concept reductions and targets a 2028 launch — a reminder that Lucidome's funding marks a step toward testing, not a market-ready product.
Read more: scoop.co.nz
Image credit: Frank Shepherd
