IIT Guwahati Shares Swine Fever Vaccine Tech with BioMed

In a victory for India’s animal husbandry sector, worth over $800 billion, the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati) has achieved a significant milestone by transferring a pioneering vaccine technology to BioMed Pvt. Ltd., a leading vaccine manufacturer. This technology, under development for over five years, centers around a novel recombinant vector vaccine specifically designed to combat the Classical Swine Fever (CSF) virus, a highly contagious and deadly disease affecting pigs and wild boars. The disease is estimated to cost Indian farmers nearly $15 billion annually due to lost productivity and mortality.

A New Weapon in the Fight Against CSF: Recombinant Vector Vaccine

Traditionally, CSF vaccines relied on inactivated virus particles. However, IIT Guwahati’s approach takes a more sophisticated route – a recombinant vector vaccine. This vaccine utilizes a harmless vector virus, such as an adenovirus, genetically modified to carry specific proteins from the CSF virus. When introduced to pigs, the immune system recognizes these proteins and mounts a targeted defense against the actual CSF virus, offering a safe and effective preventative measure.

IIT Guwahati’s Research Published in Leading Scientific Journals

IIT Guwahati’s research on the vaccine has been published in two prestigious journals: Process Biochemistry (2017) and Archives of Virology (2019). These publications not only detail the scientific underpinnings of the vaccine but also validate its efficacy through pre-clinical trials.

Addressing a Longstanding Threat: Potential to Bridge the Gap in Swine Health

CSF poses a serious threat to pig populations, causing devastating mortality rates that can reach up to 100%. The disease has been a recurring problem in several Indian states, including the northeastern region, Bihar, Kerala, Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat. This innovative vaccine technology, developed using a reverse genetic platform at IIT Guwahati, holds immense potential to fill the critical gap in India’s CSF vaccine landscape.

From Academia to Marketplace: Collaboration Ushers in Swifter Vaccine Access

The successful transfer of this technology to BioMed Pvt. Ltd. marks a crucial step towards making the vaccine commercially available. BioMed Pvt. Ltd.’s established expertise in vaccine production will expedite the manufacturing process, ensuring swifter access to this vital preventative measure for pig farmers across India. This collaboration between academia and industry paves the way for a more effective and readily available defense against CSF.

Potential Benefits: Healthier Pigs, Reduced Economic Losses

The widespread availability of this vaccine has the potential to significantly reduce economic losses for farmers. Estimates suggest that CSF costs the Indian swine industry nearly $15 billion annually. By protecting pigs from the disease, this vaccine can help farmers improve their livelihoods and contribute to a more robust and secure swine industry in India.

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