IN a world-first, a breakthrough foot-and-mouth disease vaccine has been developed in Australia.
The vaccine, developed by international biotechnology leader, Tiba BioTech, with funding from the NSW Government and Meat & Livestock Australia, is fast to produce and will see Australia become one of the few nations with the capacity to produce its own vaccine.
FMD is a highly infectious viral disease that affects cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs.
It remains widespread globally and is endemic in many countries, particularly in Africa, Asia and Middle East.
The development of this new vaccine is part of a $1 billion biosecurity plan to protect the state’s $8 billion livestock industry and Australia’s food security.
Australia is one of the few fortunate countries free of FMD but if a widespread outbreak was to occur it would have a catastrophic impact on meat supply and exports costing the Australian economy up to $80 billion.
The aim of the vaccine is to protect the community from the potential dramatic impact from FMD on the supply of meat, milk or lamb into Australian supermarkets due to reducing domestic livestock, disrupted processing and transport, and potential shortages for consumers.
As a result of the vaccine’s development, Australia is now one of only a handful of countries with the local capacity to produce a FMD vaccine.
The vaccine has taken less than 18 months to develop and has cost about $2.5 million.
The work is part of a $20 million project funded by Meat & Livestock Australia and the NSW Government.
The FMD vaccine is an mRNA vaccine which is unique in that it is fully synthetic making it safer and much faster to produce.
Using this technique, the vaccine can be manufactured without the use of infectious material.
This is an important consideration for safely managing an outbreak and the overall response.
The vaccine is now undergoing further testing to demonstrate it meets the standards set by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority before it can be approved for use in an emergency if there was a FMD incursion into Australia.
The project is a consortium of local and international partners with the biotechnology leader, Tiba Biotech, the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Meat & Livestock Australia, and the German Friedrich–Loeffler Institut.
Local manufacture of mRNA animal vaccines is supported by the University of NSW’s RNA Institute who have a demonstrated capacity to manufacture mRNA vaccines.
In recent overseas trials, vaccinated cattle exposed to the virus did not contract the disease and importantly did not shed the virus to infect others.
Minister for Agriculture, Regional and Western NSW, Tara Moriarty, said the delivery of an FMD vaccine is part of the government’s commitment to safeguarding livestock from key biosecurity threats and ensuring the state’s agriculture industry can thrive.
“Developing local manufacturing capacity to produce vaccines against emergency animal diseases is a critical priority for the Minns Government so that we can protect Australia’s livestock industries, our economy and our food supply,’ she said.
“We have a plan we are implementing to strengthen our research sector and have funded an additional $100 million into modernising the state’s research and development program so it can keep on delivering world class work like this vaccine.
“If diseases like foot-and-mouth were to enter the country it would cause major disruptions to the livestock industry and catastrophic market impacts across rural Australia, so this breakthrough is greatly received.”
Meat & Livestock Australia managing director, Michael Crowley, said while it is hoped an FMD vaccine is never needed, the research is a proactive approach to managing biosecurity risk.
“FMD is present in nearby countries to Australia and is front of mind for industry in terms of potential biosecurity risks,” he said.
“Australia is one of a fortunate number of countries with FMD-free status and an incursion would have serious implications for our industry and trade.
“While vaccination may not necessarily be required in the event of an incursion, this research confirms the Australian livestock industry is proactive and prepared.”
Tiba Biotech Chief Financial Officer, Peter McGrath, said his company is proud to contribute to safeguarding Australia’s livestock industry and the future of animal health with this breakthrough next-generation solution.
“Unlike current mRNA technologies, our vaccines can be stored long-term at standard refrigeration temperatures and at room temperature for at least one month – a critical advantage in livestock applications,” he said.
“Our focus now shifts to working closely with regulators to ensure the vaccine meets the highest standards of safety and effectiveness for livestock and consumers.
“Livestock mRNA vaccines offer a safe, efficient and effective approach to enhancing animal health, benefiting both the agricultural industry and consumers.”
NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Virology Laboratory manager, Dr Peter Kirkland, said the vaccine research investment plays a vital role in protecting Australia’s multi-billion-dollar livestock industries.
“It is safeguarding the communities that depend on them and maintaining access to critical export markets,” he said.
“There is no mRNA vaccine currently registered for use in livestock in Australia and delivering the first shows the way for the nation’s research and development sector.
“If this mRNA vaccine now moves to being approved by the APVMA, it would offer biosecurity advantages.
“It would allow Australia the ability to differentiate between vaccinated and infected animals, which could support a speedier return to normal domestic production and international trade in the event of an emergency animal disease outbreak.”
