ICAR-NIHSAD transfers vaccine tech for H9N2 virus to four companies

The government research body ICAR-NIHSAD has transferred to four private companies the first indigenous vaccine technology for the H9N2 avian influenza virus in chickens, according to the agriculture ministry. Bhopal-based ICAR-National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases NIHSAD has developed the Inactivated low pathogenic avian influenza H9N2 vaccine for chickens.

The government research body ICAR-NIHSAD has transferred to four private companies the first indigenous vaccine technology for the H9N2 avian influenza virus in chickens, according to the agriculture ministry. This vaccine technology has been transferred to Secunderabad-based Globion India, Pune-based Venkateshwara Hatcheries, Gurugram-based Indovax Pvt Ltd and Ahmedabad-based Hester Biosciences, the ministry said in a statement. ''The vaccine will meet the standard of the market both in India and abroad.

The vaccine will contribute significantly to increasing the income of poultry farmers by reducing the economic loss due to the disease,'' said BN Tripathi, Deputy Director General (Animal Science) at ICAR. Bhopal-based ICAR-National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) has developed the ''Inactivated low pathogenic avian influenza (H9N2) vaccine for chickens''. The technology transfer was facilitated by Agrinnovate India (AgIn) here in the national capital. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Director General Himanshu Pathak, ICAR-NIHSAD Director Aniket Sanyal and Agrinnovate India CEO Praveen Malik were among other senior officials present at the event.