New vaccination method for swine

Merial and Bioject, a needle-free drug delivery systems developer, have announced the commercial launch of a needle-free swine vaccine delivery system that will be distributed exclusively by Merial.

The Bioject Derma-Vac NF, a needle-free device that delivers vaccine through the skin, was developed for Merial's new SWIVAX-MH vaccine, which protects against respiratory disease in pigs caused by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae of swine (MPS). Merial claims that SWIVAX-MH is the first and only swine vaccine approved by the US Department of Agriculture that can be administered by needle-free delivery.

"This mode of administration will allow for a targeted immune response, reduction of broken needles and increased worker safety," said Dr Frank Milward of Merial's biological and research and development division. "Also, less [of the] product is required for vaccination - 0.5 ml versus a typical dosage of 1.0 ml to 2.0 ml."

Merial said that in testing, efficacy of SWIVAX-MH was demonstrated at four and 23 weeks in piglets that were vaccinated at the age of three weeks.

Dr Milward says the device uses pressurized gas that is released upon triggering, forcing the vaccine through the nozzle to form an ultra-fine stream that penetrates the skin and allows precise administration to antigen-presenting cells.

"A standard gauge needle injection causes vaccines to form a bolus in the muscle tissue," Dr Milward said. "The Derma-Vac NF releases vaccine through a tiny orifice the size of a hair in a manner that promotes a broader dispersion of vaccine, resulting in a targeted immune response," he says.

Derma-Vac NF is designed to administer 2,000 injections per hour and comes with a marking pen that leaves a spot on the animal to indicate that it has been vaccinated. It also comes in four nozzle sizes to enable administration in different sizes of the animal, from piglet to sow.

MPS can cause serious economic losses, as the affected pigs do not gain as efficiently, and in combination with other viral pathogens, the disease increases death. A review of 24 studies showed that the average daily gains were reduced by 2.8% to 44.1% due to MPS.

Bioject, based in Portland, Oregon, develops needle-free drug delivery systems with human and veterinary pharmaceutical companies. Merial, based in Duluth, Georgia, is jointly owned by US-based Merck and France-based Sanofi-Aventis.