January 17, 2008

Canadian company to produce live vaccine for swine
 

Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) is developing a live vaccine to control post-weaning diarrhoea in swine, a common disorder in the swine industry. 

Qu¨¦bec-based animal health company, Prevtec Microbia Inc.and the SRC recently received Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) approval to produce and market the vaccine under the brand name Coliprotec.

The vaccine will be the first live animal vaccine in the past decade to be developed, validated and produced in Canada.

Minister responsible for SRC, Lyle Stewart, said the new vaccine can provide some relief for farmers whose hogs are regularly lost to disease.

Opportunities to produce animal vaccines can also help to bring in new business to Saskatchewan and new health care products to livestock producers in this province and throughout Canada, he added.

To secure CFIA regulatory approval to commercialise the vaccine, SRC and Prevtec carried out the pre-licence serial testing together.

SRC president and CEO Dr Laurier Schramm announced their pride in the achievement as they are now the only contract research organisation in Canada able to produce animal vaccines with regulatory approval on commercialisation.

Coliprotec is intended to control post-weaning diarrhoea in swine, which is a common and extremely contagious disease that can cause major financial losses for a producer.

Canada produces about 30 million piglets each year, with hog exports bringing in CAD7.5 billion (US$7.3 billion) annually.