ICAR has developed India's first MA-104
cell line-based live attenuated vaccine against African Swine Fever for pigs
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has
developed India's first MA-104 cell line-based live attenuated vaccine against
African Swine Fever (ASF) for pigs. This marks a major milestone in veterinary
biotechnology and animal health. The vaccine is expected to provide effective
protection against African Swine Fever, a highly contagious and fatal viral
disease affecting pigs. Its development will strengthen India's pig farming
sector, reduce economic losses caused by ASF outbreaks, and promote self-reliance
in animal health technologies.
About the Vaccine
¨
Developed by
ICAR–National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (ICAR-NIHSAD), Bhopal.
¨
India’s first indigenous
MA-104 Cell Line-Based Live Attenuated African Swine Fever (ASF) Vaccine.
¨
Developed using a novel
attenuated ASFV Genotype II virus with unique gene deletions in the MA-104 cell
line.
¨
Uses the widely available
MA-104 cell line, making it suitable for large-scale and cost-effective
production.
¨
Eliminates dependence on
proprietary manufacturing platforms used in commercially licensed ASF vaccines.
¨
Recommended for healthy
pigs above 8 weeks with a 1 mL intramuscular dose followed by a booster after
14 days.
African Swine Fever (ASF)
¨
African Swine Fever (ASF)
is a highly contagious trans-boundary viral disease caused by the African Swine
Fever Virus (ASFV).
¨
It affects domestic and
wild pigs.
¨
It is characterised by
high fever, haemorrhages and mortality rates that may approach 100%.
¨
It is among the world’s
most devastating livestock diseases, causing severe socio-economic losses to
the pig farming sector.
¨
No effective treatment
exists, and before this development India had no commercially approved ASF
vaccine; disease control depended on rapid diagnosis, culling and strict
biosecurity measures.
Impact of ASF in India
¨
ASF was first detected in
India in 2020 and has since spread to several States and Union Territories.
¨
The outbreaks caused
massive pig mortality, disrupted pig production, restricted animal movement and
trade, and severely affected smallholder pig farmers, especially in the
North-Eastern region.
¨
During the 2020–21 Assam
outbreaks, pig mortality and culling caused estimated losses of ₹276 crore.
¨
In Mizoram, ASF affected
over 11,382 households up to 2025, resulting in estimated losses of ₹982 crore.
