The Vaccine Group’s ASF vaccine candidate begins animal trials at Pirbright 

UK – In a pivotal advancement in the global fight against African Swine Fever (ASF), The Vaccine Group’s experimental vaccine has entered animal trials, marking a significant milestone in the six-year collaboration between the biotechnology company and leading scientists at The Pirbright Institute.

ASF has transformed from a regionally confined threat to a global crisis over the past 18 years. Originally endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, the virus’s genotype II strain was first reported in Georgia in 2007. 

Since then, ASF has spread across Eastern, Central, and Southern Europe, reached China in 2018, and crossed the Atlantic to the Dominican Republic and Haiti by 2021. 

The continued spread poses a high risk to previously disease-free areas, especially in regions where backyard and semi-industrial pig farming with poor biosecurity remains the norm.

With no widely available vaccine for genotype II, the primary driver of the epidemic, TVG’s new candidate, developed using a bovine herpesvirus vector to deliver ASF-derived antigens, represents a promising solution. 

The vaccine is also compatible with a DIVA (Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals) approach, which could significantly improve surveillance and disease control.

Animal trials are now underway at Pirbright using a newly developed infection model that closely mimics natural routes of virus transmission. 

Pigs have already been vaccinated and will be challenged with a virulent strain of the ASF virus to assess the vaccine’s efficacy. Results from these trials will be shared publicly as soon as they are available.

Dr Jeremy Salt, CEO of TVG, expressed optimism about the progress: “It is very exciting right now to be on the verge of seeing this pig challenge trial data with our jointly developed novel ASF vaccine. This represents the fruition of several years of successful collaborative work between TVG and Pirbright to get to this point. The continuing need for an effective ASF vaccine is very clear.”

Recent outbreaks and past failures prompt new solutions 

The urgency for such a vaccine is underscored by the severe consequences of ASF outbreaks. The disease is highly contagious and often fatal for domestic pigs and wild boar, with no treatment available. 

Its impact has been devastating to pig farming industries worldwide, threatening both livelihoods and food security.

While live attenuated vaccines have shown protective promise in past research, safety concerns have hindered their widespread adoption. 

Recent limited use in Southeast Asia has raised red flags over potential risks, making alternative approaches like TVG’s even more crucial.

In addition to leading the vaccine project, Dr Salt will attend the upcoming Global Alliance for ASF Research (GARA) Scientific Meeting at the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) headquarters in Rome. 

There, he will join the GARA Executive Committee as Finance Director, underscoring TVG’s ongoing commitment to international ASF research efforts.

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