HEAL ▶▶▶TH


other gene deletions as reported in their research publica- tion. They would not likely release their vaccine into the market prematurely but should follow the procedures to the letter. “We know for sure that Harbin has been doing safety testing in the field on a limited and above-board basis as permitted by the applicable regulations.”


Origin of the illegal vaccine In other words, the origins of the illegal vaccine are a mys- tery. Dr Johnson says, “We do not know who is making and selling the bootleg vaccine. I have no verified or verifiable information on it.


ASF vaccine development in Vietnam


China is not the only Asian country where many are busy try- ing to create a working ASF vaccine. In the last few months, various Vietnamese media have reported that the country is working on an ASF vaccine. The USDA is supporting these developments.


In January 2021, various Vietnamese media reported that the Viet- namese Department of Animal Health (DAH) and the Navetco National Veterinary Joint Stock Company conducted an ASF vaccine test on production pigs; numbers of 25 and 72 pigs were mentioned. Exper- imental results would have been positive and scientific publications would be prepared. At the USDA ARS, the news from Vietnam is no surprise. The ARS’ PI- ADC, located in New York state, United States, has paved the scientific way for that prototype. In December 2019, after years of development,


Pigs waiting for transport on a farm in Binh Duong province, Vietnam. 8 ▶ PIG PROGRESS | Volume 37, No. 1, 2021


the USDA team announced it had found a vaccine that could create sterile immunity against ASFv. Dr Douglas Gladue at the PIADC was one of the driving forces behind the development of the vaccine prototype, together with Dr Manuel Borca and his team. He says about the Vietnamese developments: “This builds upon our initial study at PIADC and has been repeated with the same results by Navetco.” Dr Gladue explains that it is common that, as a next step after the ini- tial scientific groundwork, other (commercial) parties step in to make further development, distribution and marketing possible. After all, many more things will have to be figured out at that stage – such as the research that might have been overlooked by the Chinese bootleg vaccines. To make cooperation with other parties possible, the USDA usually sets up transfer and licensing agreements. DAH/Navetco li- censed and received the material under a Material Transfer Research Agreement. The Vietnamese group is one of the licensees, Dr Gladue added. He said, “The USDA ASFV-G-ΔI177L vaccine has been licensed (or is in the final stages of licensing) by several pharmaceutical companies. … Unfortunately most licensees do not publicly disclose any status on development. Navetco has been the only licensee to report a status. … Development of the vaccine in Vietnam by Navetco is supported by the USDA.” There is a good explanation of the great interest in further vaccine de- velopment in Vietnam. Obviously the country was hit hard by the virus. According to figures by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, more than six million pigs in all 63 provinces have had to be culled due to the virus in the last few years. Although in quite a number of provinces no recent cases have been reported, the virus is still present in domestic pigs in the country. So the vaccine can have a huge added value. According to Vietnamese media, the country could start with commer- cial production of the vaccine in the second quarter of the year. Viet- nam is said to be planning to manufacture four batches of the vaccine with 10,000 doses each.


“There is no clear info on how many illegal vaccines there are. There are legal tests going on in the field and under controlled conditions by reputable and decent scientists. The illegal vaccines are distributed by some well-organised hooligans and mountebanks. The farms are under extreme pressure and duress from the disease and are susceptible to the wiles of such predators.” In his day-to-day practice, illegal vaccines are not found. He says, “Our direct consultation clients do not use the vaccine and if they have been able to follow our instructions, they have avoided ASF entirely although they are under heavy pressure and much stress.”


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