Frontier IP notes the following announcement from the University of Plymouth that a new project including portfolio company The Vaccine Group (“TVG” or the “Company”) has been awarded more than £1 million to develop a vaccine against a widespread, harmful and zoonotic pig disease. The research is being supported by a grant from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (“Defra”) Farming Innovation Programme, delivered by Innovate UK.
Led by TVG, the University of Plymouth and the University of Cambridge, the project will seek to develop a vaccine to combat Streptococcus suis (“S.suis”). The vaccine aims to provide cross-protection against different strains of the disease.
S. suis is a bacterial disease that reduces pig farming productivity. It is endemic in the global pig population, estimated at 780 million strong, and affects up to 60 per cent of pig farms in European countries. It can jump from pigs to humans causing meningitis, septicaemia and other symptoms.
There is no vaccine for the disease that currently protects against different strains, so it is frequently treated with antibiotics. Effective vaccines that protect against several strains of the disease will reduce the need for antibiotics. Frontier IP holds a 17 per cent equity stake in the Company.
We are delighted that Defra is supporting this important project. Streptococcus suis can cause significant economic harm to pig farmers and is potentially fatal to humans. With governments globally looking to curb antibiotic use, developing effective vaccines is crucial.
Matthew White, Chief Commercialisation Officer, Frontier IP
University of Plymouth Statement begins:
Scientists trial new vaccine to tackle bacterial infection in pigs
Streptococcus suis can cause serious, and often fatal, disease in pigs and be transferred to humans working with them
Scientists have been awarded significant government funding to develop a vaccine that could halt the development and spread of one of the more common diseases affecting the UK pig population.
Streptococcus suis is a bacterial infection that can cause serious, and often fatal, disease in pigs but can also be transferred to humans working with them.
It has been shown to affect more than 60% of pig farms in a number of countries across Europe, posing challenges for both the pork industry and public health.
At present, there are no proven vaccines addressing the many strains of the disease, with infected pigs being treated using a number of different antibiotics.
However, with the UK Government targeting a 50% reduction in antibiotic use in livestock by 2030 – and a global drive to reduce the threats posed by antimicrobial resistance – an effective vaccine is urgently required.
The new project – led by The Vaccine Group, the University of Plymouth, and the University of Cambridge – aims to deliver that.
It will assess whether a vaccine candidate already shown to be effective against the most common strain of the disease can in fact protect pigs – and thereby prevent transmission to humans – against multiple, if not all, known strains.
The research is being supported by a grant of just over £1million from Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme, delivered by Innovate UK.
For pig farmers across the UK, Streptococcus suis is a major cause for concern and can lead to significant losses – both in terms of animals and financially. As a zoonotic infection, there is also the risk of the disease being passed on to humans working in the industry. Our goal in developing an effective vaccine is stop the bacterial infection from developing in pigs and humans in the first place. By doing so, we can better protect the farmers, their animals and their livelihoods. We can also make pork production more efficient, humane and sustainable, at the same time helping the sector address the global challenges of antibiotic resistance and carbon emissions.
The Vaccine Group Chief Executive Officer Dr Jeremy Salt
The project brings together world-leading experts in vaccine development, antimicrobial resistance and veterinary medicine.
It will build on previous research by The Vaccine Group and the University of Plymouth, through which the potential candidate for the Streptococcus suis vaccine was identified.
It works by administering a harmless virus which in turn generates greater quantities of proteins that induce an immune response in the animals.
The new trials, carried out in conjunction with animal health specialists at Moredun Scientific Ltd, will explore its potential to protect against different and emerging strains of the disease.
The research team will also engage directly with the pig farming community, to ensure the vaccine not only meets their requirements but can also be administered in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
