April 3, 2013

This first international public/private collaboration enables stable supply of foot and mouth disease vaccine in Korea. Merial and SVC Inc. have concluded a contract for Merial's supplying bulk vaccine and transferring technology for producing foot and mouth disease (FMD) vaccine in Korea.

Merial is to provide bulk vaccine and technology to five local animal vaccine manufacturers, while providing service of testing efficacy and safety of produced vaccine. The agreement achieves localisation of foot and mouth disease vaccine in Korea, which is eventually expected to contribute to establishment of a 'foot and mouth disease-free country'.

The consortium is a major step in preventing a recurrence of FMD that spread across Korea in late 2010, and for minimising socio-economic damages caused by the disease. It is also the first international collaboration on private level for stable supply of vaccine in Korea. Early in 2011, the Korean government formed the task force team to develop a plan for producing FMD vaccine for Korea. The task force comprised officials from the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Livestock and Forestry (formally named the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries), the Inspection Agency of Animal, Plant and Fisheries Quarantine, and external specialists. In July 2011, the Korean Veterinary Medical Association and five animal vaccine manufacturers in Korea formed a consortium named SVC, Inc.

Under the contract, the components of FMD vaccine, such as antigen and excipients, will be imported from Merial to Korea in the form of bulk vaccine. Five animal vaccine manufacturers will then produce FMD vaccine to be supplied to farms, using their own manufacturing facilities. Merial's veterinary public health (VPH) unit will take charge of technological counselling and quality verification of vaccine samples produced in Korea.

Philippe Dubourget, director of FMD Operations at Merial's VPH unit, who visited Korea to attend the contract signing ceremony said, "I believe the excellence of Merial's FMD vaccine, their experience in production of vaccine, and our knowledge of Korea-type foot and mouth disease have led to this agreement."

Sacha Seneque, Head Marketing Large Animal & VPH Asia added, "Our experience in Korea stems from our 10 years of maintaining the foot and mouth antigen bank in Korea. Merial will actively cooperate to build an environment where foot and mouth disease is effectively controlled."

Yun In-jung, President of SVC Inc. said, "Korea was able to control the outbreaks of foot and mouth disease at its early stages when it broke out in 2000 and 2010 because Merial showed high dedication in supplying effective vaccines for Korea-type to us swiftly at that time. We will now meet the demands of livestock breeders to eventually build a 'foot and mouth disease-free country' by accumulating advanced technologies and providing a stable supply of vaccines."