In a significant stride towards safeguarding India’s swine population, the Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati (IIT-G) has achieved a groundbreaking feat by transferring technology to produce the nation’s first recombinant vaccine against classical swine fever to the biotech firm Bio-Med.
The classical swine fever, a highly contagious viral disease, poses a grave threat to pig populations across the country, particularly in regions like the northeast, Bihar, Kerala, Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat. In response to this pressing concern, IIT Guwahati, in collaboration with Assam Agricultural University, has spearheaded the development of this innovative vaccine, marking a significant milestone in India’s battle against the epidemic.
According to a press release, the vaccine, developed through pioneering reverse genetics, utilizes the Newcastle disease virus as a vector to carry essential proteins of the swine fever virus. This novel approach ensures rapid and cost-effective immunity development, offering a promising solution to combat the spread of the disease among swine populations.
The technology transfer to Bio-Med marks a watershed moment in India’s fight against classical swine fever, which currently lacks an effective vaccine.
With swine fever posing a significant threat to the livelihoods of farmers and the stability of the swine industry, the availability of this recombinant vaccine holds immense promise in mitigating the economic and social impact of the disease.
