ICAR-IVRI transfers CSF, sheep pox vaccine technology to Hester Biosciences

ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), which has developed an indigenous vaccine for classical swine fever (CSF) and sheep pox diseases, on Wednesday transferred this technology to an animal healthcare company Hester Biosciences.

The technology was transferred through state-owned Agrinnovate India (AgIn) with an aim to promote technologies developed by state and central agricultural universities globally.

In a statement, Uttar Pradesh-based ICAR-IVRI said currently, the vaccine used in India for control of CSF is a 'lapinized CSF vaccine' produced by killing large numbers of rabbits.

''To avoid this, the ICAR-IVRI earlier developed a Cell Culture CSF Vaccine using the Lapinized Vaccine Virus from foreign strain,'' it added.

The indigenous CSF Cell Culture Vaccine developed by using an Indian field isolate has huge export potential. Due to its very high titre, the vaccine can produce a large number of doses, it noted.

On price, the CSF vaccine costs less than Rs 2 per dose as against Rs 15 to Rs 25 per dose of Lapinized CSF vaccine.

The vaccine was extensively tested for safety and potency. It has been found to induce protective immunity from day 14 of the vaccination till 18 months.

Similarly, the vaccine for sheep pox has been developed using indigenous strain for preventive vaccination in the sheep population.

The vaccine is innocuous, safe, potent, and immunogenic for sheep aged more than six months of age. It has been evaluated both in-house and field. It protects the vaccinated animals for a period of 40 months, the statement said.