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(Alliance News) - ECO Animal Health Group PLC on Wednesday said it has signed a second research partnership with the UK's Pirbright Institute to develop another chicken vaccine.
This worldwide exclusive research partnership is to use a virus vector for Marek's disease, which has a mortality rate as high as 100%, "to express multiple protective components against" Newcastle disease virus, infectious bursal disease virus, and infectious laryngotracheitis virus.
Vanugopal Nair, head of Avian Viral Diseases at the Pirbright Institute said: "The novel vaccine will have the potential to induce simultaneous protection against Marek's disease as well as the other major diseases caused by [infectious bursal disease virus, Newcastle disease virus, and infectious laryngotracheitis virus] that threaten poultry health and production worldwide."
This is the second deal with Pirbright, as the two announced plans for an infectious bronchitis virus biopharmaceutical product on Wednesday last week.
ECO Animal noted that the global poultry biologicals market is worth more than around USD2.3 billion and is expected to grow, with the infectious bursal disease virus, Newcastle disease virus and infectious laryngotracheitis virus segments worth about USD470 million.
Marc Loomes, chief executive of ECO Animal, said: "We are delighted to have partnered with the Pirbright Institute again to develop another novel vaccine for use in chickens. The use of the Marek's disease vector in this technology is a significant advancement over other recombinant vaccines and will help widen the potential use of this vaccine in broilers and in breeding stock."
Shares in ECO Animal were up 0.8% at 370.00 pence in London on Wednesday.