India Unveils First Homegrown Vaccine Against African Swine Fever

Scientists at the ICAR–National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (ICAR-NIHSAD), Bhopal, have created India's first MA-104 cell line-based live attenuated vaccine for African Swine Fever.

African Swine Fever (ASF) has dealt a heavy blow to pig farming in India over the past few years, wiping out thousands of animals, disrupting trade and putting the livelihoods of small farmers under severe strain. A major scientific breakthrough from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) now offers fresh hope, with researchers developing the country's first indigenous live attenuated vaccine against the deadly disease.

Scientists at the ICAR–National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (ICAR-NIHSAD), Bhopal, have created India's first MA-104 cell line-based live attenuated vaccine for African Swine Fever. The vaccine has been developed using an attenuated ASF Genotype II virus with unique gene deletions and is designed for large-scale production using the widely available MA-104 cell line, making manufacturing more practical and cost-effective.

The vaccine has completed extensive laboratory testing covering sterility, purity, safety, genetic stability, immune response, protective effectiveness and studies to rule out the return of virulence. It was also validated under field conditions in collaboration with the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, strengthening confidence in its performance outside laboratory settings.

Relief for pig farmers battling repeated outbreaks

African Swine Fever first appeared in India in 2020 and has since spread across several States and Union Territories. The disease, known for causing high fever, internal bleeding and mortality rates that can reach nearly 100 per cent, has forced authorities to depend on culling infected animals and enforcing strict biosecurity measures because no approved vaccine was previously available in the country.

The financial damage has been severe. Assam alone recorded estimated losses of around ₹276 crore during the 2020 and 2021 outbreaks. In Mizoram, the disease has affected more than 11,382 households by 2025, with reported losses nearing ₹982 crore. The new vaccine is expected to reduce pig deaths, limit economic losses and provide greater protection for farmers whose incomes depend on pig rearing.

Designed for large-scale vaccination

The vaccine is recommended for healthy pigs older than eight weeks. It is administered through a 1 mL intramuscular injection, followed by a booster dose after 14 days to strengthen immunity.

Dr. M.L. Jat, Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General of ICAR, described the achievement as the beginning of a new chapter in veterinary science. He said the development reflects India's growing ability to create world-class animal health technologies and opens the door for more indigenous vaccines that can improve livestock health, disease preparedness and national food security.

Lower production costs and stronger animal health security

Only a small number of commercially licensed ASF vaccines are currently available worldwide, mainly from Vietnam, where production depends on patented proprietary cell lines. ICAR-NIHSAD's vaccine uses the commonly available MA-104 cell line instead, removing reliance on proprietary manufacturing systems and making large-scale production more affordable.

The breakthrough is expected to strengthen India's preparedness against one of the world's most destructive livestock diseases while supporting sustainable growth in the pig farming sector and improving long-term animal health security.