May 26, 2020

Hong Kong start-up partners with US company to develop ASF vaccines

Pacific GeneTech, a Hong Kong-based startup, will work with US-based EpiVax to create vaccines for African swine fever, according to the former's CEO Tim Collard, the South China Morning Post reported this month.

"EpiVax has developed computational and genetic tools to develop vaccines for humans and animals, to facilitate selection of the best components from circulating viruses for making vaccines," Collard said in an interview.

Collard described ASF as a "very tricky virus with multiple strains" and several vaccines that are considered are "unlikely to be effective."

EpiVax's approach involves providing immunity via antibodies that terminate the virus and stimulate immune cells to combat against it, Collard noted.

Pacific GeneTech plans to conduct its "proof-of-concept" clinical trial on 120 pigs in high-security facilities in North America, which is expected to cost up to US$500,000.

The company is also looking to conduct trials in Vietnam, China, Europe and Russia.

The global market for ASF vaccines could potentially be worth USS$1 billion to US$2 billion, based on an estimate by investment advisory firm Guggenheim Partners' analyst David Westenberg, cited by Animal Pharm.

- South China Morning Post