Imugene PRRS vaccine succeeds in pig trial
// 21 Aug 2008
Preliminary results from Imugene’s recently completed
pig trial in the US have been released. The results show that new modified PRRS
vaccine Imugene’s [ASX:IMU] provides a very high degree of protection against
the PRRS disease when two doses are administered either orally or by
injection.
Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory
Syndrome (PRRS)
is caused by a viral infection. The major clinical signs are the result of areas
of diseased lung (consolidation). To evaluate the severity of an infection,
standardised lung lesion scores are generated by scoring the diseased areas in
each of the 7 lung lobes from each pig and then generating an average.
Lesion score
Lesion score
The lower the average lung lesion score the better, as this indicates a
lower level of disease. In addition, clinical illness slows weight gain during
and after infection. An effective vaccine should result in less clinical illness
and therefore better weight gains following infection.
Following challenge with the live PRRS virus, vaccinated pigs had much lower lung lesion scores and better weight gains over the 14 day post-challenge period compared to the unvaccinated control pigs.
Full report
Following challenge with the live PRRS virus, vaccinated pigs had much lower lung lesion scores and better weight gains over the 14 day post-challenge period compared to the unvaccinated control pigs.
Full report
The trials were undertaken at a
specialist trial facility in the US. A full trial report including statistical
analysis is being prepared and is expected in the next 4-6 weeks. Imugene will
now use these results in discussions with major international animal health
companies with a view to possible licensing agreements.
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