IIT Guwahati shares key technology for first recombinant vaccine against swine fever virus

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati has successfully transferred key technology for India’s first recombinant vaccine for swine fever virus in pigs and wild boars. The disease, which is highly contagious among pigs, has been frequently observed in various states in India. The technology has been transferred to BioMed, a manufacturing company specializing in vaccines.

The pioneering vaccine technology involves a recombinant vector vaccine designed specifically for combating the classical swine fever virus. The vaccine fills a significant gap in India’s vaccine landscape and utilizes a reverse genetic platform developed at IIT Guwahati. Reverse genetics is a method widely used for developing vaccines against influenza and other diseases, including animal diseases.

A team of researchers from IIT Guwahati and Assam Agricultural University started working on the vaccine in 2018-2019. Their research findings have been published in Process Biochemistry and Archives of Virology journals. The vaccine is currently in the process of filing a test and analysis license, according to IIT Guwahati.

The technology transfer marks a significant milestone in combating swine fever in India, particularly in states where the disease poses a severe threat to pig populations. With the commercial rollout of the recombinant vaccine, the country is better equipped to control and prevent the spread of swine fever among pigs and wild boars.