13 February 2024
A new vaccine to combat pneumonia in sheep and goats has been developed by Design Biologix of Pretoria. It is the only registered vaccine that prevents viral and bacterial respiratory diseases, thus providing complete protection.
Respiratory diseases are one of the major problems in production animals and feedlots, where the lungs of small livestock are damaged by viruses and bacteria.
Symptoms are not always apparent and are often visible on the damaged lungs only after the animals are slaughtered. However, respiratory diseases cause secondary problems because sick animals do not eat enough and do not grow. By the time the farmer or feedlot owner notices that his animals are thin, it is often too late to do anything about it. This leads to production losses.
Approval
Karen Nel, owner of Design Biologix, and Dr Angela Buys, CEO, said the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development recently approved the new vaccine, Ovivax (reg. no. G4552, Act 36 of 1947), and the company is now manufacturing and marketing it.
They told African Farming that viral infection occurs first. It does not cause pneumonia but suppresses the immune system. Then the bacteria take over and cause pneumonia. That’s why they developed a formulation that covers both.
Because respiratory diseases are so widespread and cause so many production losses for farmers, they should vaccinate their animals to protect them.
Another favourable outcome of vaccination is that the herd gets sick less often, so the farmer needs to use fewer antibiotics. This is in line with the global campaign to move away from the regular use of antibiotics due to resistance building up in disease-causing organisms.
Nel and Buys describe Ovivax as an inactivated combination vaccine with which sheep and goats are vaccinated preventively against respiratory diseases. It is injected subcutaneously at the neck at 2 ml per animal. A booster dose of 2 ml must follow three to four weeks later. After that, animals must be vaccinated annually.
Animals may not be slaughtered for human consumption within 21 days after vaccination.
In 2023, Design Biologix introduced Blu-Vax (reg. no. G4534), an inactivated, polyvalent bluetongue virus vaccine (adjuvant); and Chlamyvax (reg. no. G4535), an inactivated, bivalent vaccine for the active immunisation of healthy cattle, sheep, and goats against enzootic abortion.
They say the company sells its products directly to farmers and markets them through veterinarians and agricultural companies.
Structural changes
Design Biologix recently adjusted its company structure. Buys remains CEO but Daleen Nel was appointed as head of production so Buys has more time for marketing. Nel was previously the company’s head of virus production and is now in charge of virus and bacterial production.
Stefan Pretorius has been appointed as head of logistics to manage the distribution network. He was previously head of bacteriology. He and Nel report to Buys.
Karen Nel founded Design Biologix in 1994 with Pieter Smuts, who died during the Covid-19 pandemic, and Dr George Gaenssler, who has since retired.
“We started on a very small scale with contract manufacturing of a single product, Pastvac. It combats leukotoxins in cattle,” she says.
The business grew quickly and is now based in a new complex in Pretoria that is largely in use, although certain functions remain at the old office at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in Jacaranda City.
Finishing touches to the new building will be completed in two months and quality control will move there in March. Production is expected to be in full swing at the new building by the end of the year.
