In February 2024 HIPRA announced that it is leading the European project VAX4ASF with the aim of developing a next-generation vaccine against African Swine Fever. The project is supported by the EU through the Horizon Europe programme, which encourages research and innovation in the region. The goal of VAX4ASF is to “provide a definitive, effective, and safe solution against the highly contagious, unpredictable, and complex ASF virus”.
An international consortium
VAX4ASF unites 17 partners across EU countries, the US, and Kenya. The full list can be viewed here. A consortium meeting was held at the end of January to official start the project.
“The project will not only work to facilitate pioneering improvements in the development of new generation vaccines for the effective control of the virus worldwide, but also propose innovative policies for ASF control and management through the continuous involvement of all key stakeholders.”
HIPRA states that the “complex nature” of the ASF genome and virus particles is the “main factor” in the way of ASF vaccine development. Therefore, although “intensive research” into different approaches has taken place, full commercial vaccine candidates are “still lacking”. The project proposes to control the replication level of the virus for future vaccines.
African Swine Fever: a “global challenge”
HIPRA describes ASF as a threat to the global pork sector, having “already caused socio-economic impacts”. Indeed, outbreaks present “severe socio-economic consequences” from the devastation of livelihoods to the undermining of market stability and food security.
The World Organisation for Animal Health suggests that ASF has affected 52 countries in 5 world regions since 2021, resulting in the loss of over 126,000 pig and 30,000 wild boar infections. Although “huge international efforts” have been made to control the virus, only control and eradication measures and implementation of “strict” sanitary procedures are available to date. This has “huge” economic consequences apart from the need to cull related animals.
“The persistent transcontinental spread of the virus poses a significant threat”.
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