A world-first vaccine to protect livestock from foot-and-mouth disease has been trialled and is now undergoing its final evaluations.
The $20 million, five-year research project involved Meat & Livestock Australia, Tiba Biotech and the NSW Government with input from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, the German Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
MLA managing director Michael Crowley said while it was hoped that an FMD vaccine would never be needed, the research represented a proactive approach to managing biosecurity risk.
Australia remains free of FMD, however government modelling has estimated an incursion could cost the economy up to $80 billion.
It would have a catastrophic impact on trade, animal welfare and farm productivity.
“FMD is present in countries near to Australia and is front of mind for industry in terms of potential biosecurity risks,” Mr Crowley said.
“Vaccination may not necessarily be required in the event of a disease incursion, but this research demonstrates that the Australian industry is proactive and prepared.”
Researchers found that the new vaccine demonstrated strong, effective immune response and safety in preliminary trials in Germany.
Vaccinated cattle did not contract FMD when exposed to the disease and, importantly, they did not shed the virus.
The new vaccine uses mRNA to induce an immune response, rather than an actual virus.
Following these trials, the vaccine must now undergo a rigorous evaluation process with the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority before approval for use on livestock.
The project is also conducting similar research to develop a vaccine for lumpy skin disease, which is also a significant exotic disease threat to Australia.
mRNA vaccines allow the animal to create proteins and antibodies to trigger an immune response. They do this without entering the nucleus of cells and disappear from the animal within days, leaving antibodies behind for protection against the virus.
