The European research project VAX4ASF (New Technologies for African Swine Fever Vaccines) has reported new scientific findings that support ongoing efforts to develop vaccines against African swine fever, following its second General Assembly held on 5–6 May 2026 in Gödöllő, Hungary. Hosted by the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE), the meeting brought together scientists, industry experts and stakeholders from across Europe and Africa to review progress and coordinate the next phase of research.
ASF remains a major concern for animal health and the pig farming sector, with no widely available vaccine currently in use. Against this backdrop, the VAX4ASF project is working to improve understanding of the virus and identify strategies that could support future vaccine development. Among the results presented, researchers reported progress in identifying viral genes involved in how African swine fever virus interacts with the host immune response.
A group of candidate genes has been linked to the modulation of type I interferon pathways, which are central to the body’s antiviral defense. Laboratory studies indicate that some of these genes can influence immune signaling, offering new insight into mechanisms associated with viral virulence. This knowledge helps to identify potential targets that may be relevant for the design of attenuated or replication-limited vaccine candidates.
In parallel, the project has advanced research into how pigs respond to African swine fever virus following vaccination. By analyzing immune responses in experimental studies, scientists identified a range of viral antigens recognized by the immune system, including a subset associated with animals that remained protected after exposure to the virus.
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