MELFORT, Sask. – Progress is still being made to find a new African Swine Fever vaccine despite a setback in Vietnam.
Swine Health Information Center Executive Director Dr. Paul Sundberg said a vaccine, developed by USDA’s Ag Research Service, was being tested in Vietnam. The license for further testing has been suspended after pigs that had been vaccinated died.
“In Vietnam 600 pigs were vaccinated, and within a very short time after vaccination, there were about 100 of them that had died, and another 400 out of those 600 had what was termed to be a vaccine reaction,” Sundberg said. “We’re awaiting testing and investigation into what happened in that province.”
Sundberg said initial reports indicated the vaccine’s efficacy was very high and safety studies were also very promising. He said although this is a setback there are other vaccines under development including a second gene-deleted vaccine developed by USDA.
The federal government is providing $1.4 million for a clean technology initiative.
SixRing Inc. will use the money for the next development phase of the company’s low-energy biomass conversion process that converts agricultural waste into renewable fuels and sustainable advanced materials.
SixRing Inc. CEO and Chair Clay Purdy said the money will be used to accelerate their crop-based feedstock research.
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