Merck Animal Health launches next live poultry vaccine in the U.S. for highly infectious and untreated diseases

Merck Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co, announced the launch of INNOVAX ND-ILT, made with biotechnology that protects against three highly infectious diseases in poultry – Newcastle disease (ND), infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) and Marek’s disease (MD) when given to chickens either in ovo or subcutaneously at the hatchery.

INNOVAX ND-ILT is the second of the company’s dual HVT constructs to be approved, following the release of INNOVAX^®ND-IBD launched last November. The vaccine marks the first vaccine available in the United States shown to be effective against these three highly contagious infections with a single vaccination. These diseases can affect a range of systems in domestic poultry, including the nervous, respiratory, immune and reproductive systems.^{^[i]}^{,^[ii],^[iii]}

“Along with the convenience of a single immunization, Innovax ND-ILT eliminates the risks of viral latency, persistence and dissemination associated with the use of conventional live vaccines,” says Ivan Alvarado, DVM, Merck Animal Health. “By controlling Newcastle disease and infectious laryngotracheitis, Innovax ND-ILT allows the administration of monovalent IBV vaccines, avoiding competition between respiratory viruses while improving protection against IB in the field. As a recombinant HVT vaccine, Innovax ND-ILT does not induce post-vaccinal reactions, reversion to virulence or interference with other respiratory vaccines.”

About INNOVAX ND-ILT
Innovax ND-ILT is a frozen, cell associated, live virus vaccine that contains the serotype 3 herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT) with the F gene from Newcastle disease (ND) virus and two genes from infectious laryngotracheitisvirus (ILT). The vaccine is frozen and packaged in glass ampules, supplied with diluent packaged in a separate container. The vaccine ampules are inserted in metal canes, stored and shipped in a liquid nitrogen container. Together with Merck Animal Health’s line of respiratory vaccines, the INNOVAX family provides the most complete selection of vaccines to be applied in the hatchery.

For more information visit http://www.merck-animal-health-USA.com.

[i] Newcastle disease in poultry. Merck Veterinary Manual. Retrieved from http://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/newcastle-disease-and-other-paramyxovirus-infections/newcastle-disease-in-poultry

[ii] Overview of infectious bursal disease in poultry. Merck Veterinary Manual. Retrieved from https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/infectious-bursal-disease/overview-of-infectious-bursal-disease-in-poultry

[iii] Marek's disease. The Poultry Site. Retrieved from http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/90/mareks-disease/

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