ASF Vaccine News

July 26, 2021

ASF Vaccine News

(Previously posted on the UBC Facebook page)

The International Livestock Research Institute is making strides in creating an answer to the African Swine Fever virus (ASF), which has taken an extremely heavy toll on swine farms in the Philippines. Their method, which involves editing ASF genes in order to be able to develop a vaccine. The initiative, which started in 2016, has produced several promising candidates.

“There are seven to ten candidates, on a variety of stages,” said Lucilla Steinaa, one of the scientists heading the project. The tests are ongoing, with the hope being that a successful candidate vaccine can be determined and produced in 2022.

There is a pressing need for a vaccine. The virus is present in Africa, Asia, and Europe, with the Philippines being hit particularly heavily due to our strong demand for pork and pork products. Many farms have already shut down in many areas in the country, increasing prices dramatically, and opening the doors to imported pork–a stopgap measure that further hurts local production.

Read the whole story here:
https://www.intouch-intelligence.com/start-here/scientists-using-gene-editing-tool-to-develop-asf-vaccine?fbclid=IwAR2LTOdNim-xUkhGXTaNiR2sWJ-P08TE2KzLFDWZCaBIaonmuy-hCIxK798