New vaccine and expertise will help pig farmers and veterinarians fight deadly disease
Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) today announced that the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) has granted a conditional license for a vaccine to
help fight porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) in pigs. The two-dose
inactivated vaccine, licensed for use in healthy pregnant female pigs
(sows and gilts), is designed to help them develop antibodies which can
be transmitted to their newborn piglets. Zoetis anticipates the vaccine
will be available to veterinarians and pig farmers in September.
“We at Zoetis are proud to provide our customers with a vaccine to help
battle this devastating disease,” said Catherine Knupp, executive vice
president and president, Zoetis Research and Development. “Rapidly
emerging infectious diseases such as PEDv not only threaten animal
health but also the livelihoods of farmers. Bringing this vaccine to
market quickly – in a little more than a year since the disease was
identified in the U.S. – exemplifies our commitment to supporting
veterinarians and livestock producers with high-quality vaccines to
rapidly respond to and help control the evolving and complex threat of
emerging infectious diseases.”
The vaccine is given as a 2 mL intramuscular (IM) injection to sows or
gilts prior to farrowing (giving birth). Two doses given three weeks
apart are recommended, with the second dose given two weeks
pre-farrowing. Previously vaccinated sows should receive a single dose
given two weeks before farrowing. On average, female pigs farrow twice
each year.
In order to receive the conditional license, the vaccine was shown to be
safe in a field safety study, and a reasonable expectation of efficacy
was demonstrated. Zoetis is working to complete the studies necessary to
obtain full licensure in the U.S.
“This vaccine is an important part of our commitment to working with
veterinarians and pig farmers to help minimize the impact of PEDv on
pigs in their care,” said Gloria Basse, vice president, U.S. Pork
Business Unit, Zoetis. “To achieve the best possible results, farmers
should work closely with their veterinarians and Zoetis technical
services team to implement the new vaccine into their biosecurity
programs.”
PEDv was first diagnosed in the United States in April 2013.1
Since then, it has spread to 30 states and is responsible for more than
seven million deaths in piglets.2 There are approximately
5.85 million sows and gilts in the U.S.3; however, the exact
number of those infected is not known. The USDA designated PEDv a
reportable disease in June 20142, and it continues to be a
serious threat to U.S. pig farms with an estimated 30 percent of farms
reporting a recurrence of the disease within a year after an initial
outbreak.4 Although PEDv is a significant health threat to
young piglets, it poses no risk to food safety or to human health.
Zoetis continues work with Iowa State University on a second vaccine
approach to help control PEDv. The results from these vaccine research
programs could have applicability in countries outside the U.S. where
PEDv has been identified and is threatening swine herds and the
livelihoods of farmers who raise and care for them.
In the meantime, ongoing efforts to slow the spread of PEDv continue to
focus on improving animal husbandry and hygiene measures. From the farm
to transport trucks, stepped-up efforts include additional sanitation,
better control of access points and review of employee protocols. All of
these steps have been demonstrated to help mitigate the risk of the
virus entering a farm.
For more information about the new vaccine, veterinarians and pig
farmers should contact their Zoetis representative or visit www.zoetispork.com/pedv.
For more information about PEDv, visit www.aasv.org
and www.pork.org.
About Zoetis
Zoetis (zō-EH-tis) is the leading animal health company, dedicated to
supporting its customers and their businesses. Building on more than 60
years of experience in animal health, Zoetis discovers, develops,
manufactures and markets veterinary vaccines and medicines, complemented
by diagnostic products and genetic tests and supported by a range of
services. In 2013, the company generated annual revenues of $4.6
billion. With approximately 9,800 employees worldwide at the beginning
of 2014, Zoetis has a local presence in approximately 70 countries,
including 27 manufacturing facilities in 10 countries. Its products
serve veterinarians, livestock producers and people who raise and care
for farm and companion animals in 120 countries. For more information,
visit www.zoetis.com.
Zoetis is the proud sponsor, with the Smithsonian Institution Traveling
Exhibition Service, the American Veterinary Medical Association and the
American Veterinary Medical Foundation, of the mobile educational
exhibit Animal Connections: Our Journey Together. Families
visiting the exhibit will explore the vast bonds between people and
animals and learn about the important role veterinarians play in
protecting animal and human health. For more information, visit https://www.zoetis.com/animal-connections-tour/.
* This product license is conditional. Efficacy and potency studies are
in progress.
1 Stevenson GW, Hoang H, Schwartz KJ, et al. Emergence of
Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in the United States:
clinical signs, lesions, and viral genomic sequences. J Vet Diagn
Invest. 2013;25:649-654.
2 USDA Federal Order. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/2014/06/pdf/secd_federal_order.pdf.
Accessed August 27, 2014.
3 USDA Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Report. http://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Todays_Reports/reports/hgpg0614.pdf
Accessed August 26, 2014.
4 Polansek T. Exclusive: Deadly pig virus re-infects U.S.
far, fuels supply fears. Reuters. Available at: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/28/us-pig-virus-immunity-idUSKBN0E811N20140528.
Accessed July 10, 2014.
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Zoetis Inc.
Media:
Elinore Y. White, 973-443-2835 (o)
[email protected]
or
Bill Price, 973-443-2742 (o)
[email protected]
or
Investors:
John O’Connor, 1-973-822-7088 (o)