H9N2 vaccine

“Indigenous H9N2 Avian Influenza Vaccine Developed by ICAR-NIHSAD Transferred to Industry”

Introduction:

Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, is a viral disease that affects poultry such as chickens, ducks, and turkeys. While most strains of the virus are low pathogenic and do not cause severe illness in birds, some strains can be highly pathogenic and cause serious disease and death in poultry. Low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) strain H9N2 is a subtype of the Influenza virus that has been prevalent in India since 2003, with several outbreaks reported in the northern part of the country.

Inactivated Vaccine Developed by ICAR-NIHSAD:

Scientists at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research – National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (ICAR-NIHSAD) in Bhopal have developed an inactivated low pathogenic avian influenza (H9N2) vaccine for chickens. This marks the first time an indigenous vaccine for the H9N2 virus has been developed in India.

Technology Transfer to Industry:

The inactivated H9N2 vaccine developed by ICAR-NIHSAD was transferred to four commercial firms – M/s Globion India Pvt. Ltd. (Secunderabad), M/s Venkateshwara Hatcheries Pvt. Ltd. (Pune), M/s Indovax Pvt. Ltd. (Gurgaon), and M/s Hester Biosciences Ltd. (Ahmedabad) – facilitated by M/s Agrinnovate India Ltd. (AgIn) at the National Agricultural Science Centre (NASC) in New Delhi.

Event Highlights:

The technology transfer event was attended by several high-level officials, including Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR) and Chairman of AgIn; Dr. B.N. Tripathi, DDG (Animal Science); Dr. Praveen Malik, CEO of Agrinnovate India Ltd.; and Dr. Aniket Sanyal, Director of ICAR-NIHSAD.

Dr. Pathak praised the efforts of the ICAR-NIHSAD scientists in developing the indigenous H9N2 vaccine and commended AgIn for facilitating the transfer of the technology to industry. The DDG (AS) also assured that the vaccine will meet the standards of the market in India and abroad.

Benefits of the H9N2 Vaccine:

• The H9N2 vaccine will play a significant role in increasing the income of poultry farmers by reducing the economic losses caused by the disease.
• It will also contribute to the overall improvement of the poultry industry in India by helping to control the spread of the H9N2 virus.

The development and transfer of the inactivated H9N2 vaccine by ICAR-NIHSAD and AgIn is a major milestone for the poultry industry in India. The vaccine will help to protect chickens from the H9N2 virus and reduce economic losses for poultry farmers, ultimately leading to the overall improvement of the poultry industry in the country.