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last update:Jan 17, 2008
Saskatchewan lab to produce new swine vaccine
The Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) is to develop
a new swine vaccine in Québec this month which is to represent the first live
animal vaccine in the past decade to be developed, validated, and produced in
Canada.
Québec-based animal health company, Prevtec Microbia Inc.and the
SRC
recently received Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) approval to
produce and market Coliprotec, which is a vaccine that controls a common
disorder in pigs.
"This new vaccine can provide some comfort for farmers who face losing
a
good portion of their swine population to disease," said Lyle Stewart,
Minister responsible for SRC. "The opportunity to produce animal vaccines will
help bring new business to Saskatchewan and new health care products to
livestock producers in this province and throughout Canada."
SRC carried out the pre-licence serial testing work in its Biosafety Level 2
Fermentation Pilot Plant together with Prevtec, in order to secure CFIA
regulatory approval to commercialise the vaccine.
"We are very proud of this achievement," SRC
president and CEO Dr Laurier
Schramm said. "We are now the only contract research organisation in Canada with
this type of regulatory approval to produce animal vaccines."
Coliprotec will assist the swine industry in Canada as it is intended to
control post-weaning diarrhoea in swine, a common disorder that can spread
easily and result in major financial losses for a producer.
Approximately 30 million piglets are raised in Canada (2.6 million
in
Saskatchewan) each year. Nationally, pig exports are responsible for
economic activity of approximately CAD7.5b (US$7.3b) annually and about 42,000
jobs.
Related websites:
• SRC
• Prevtec Microbia Inc
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