Acceligen, a precision breeding company for food animals, is announcing publication in Antiviral Research of their work on breeding PRRSV-resistant pigs.
Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus, also known as PRRSV, is a virus that results in substantial economic harm to pig farms on a global scale, causing as extensive as $664 million in direct losses in the United States and reaching up to 1.5 billion Euros annually in Europe. Additionally, the animals may exhibit clinical signs inclusive of a phase of reduced appetite, fever, lethargy, depression, and possibly respiratory distress or vomiting.
Effective treatments are currently unavailable, and modified-live vaccines offer only partial protection from a rapidly spreading infection. There are various mitigation strategies if a swine operation is infected, including herd closure or complete depopulation. Both options can incur expenses and raise concerns about the well-being of the animals.
Acceligen believes that animals that nourish people deserve the best in health and well-being. The publication in Antiviral Research shows that Acceligen is meeting this challenge by uniquely breeding pigs resistant to PRRSV-1 and PRRSV-2. A link to this paper will be posted on Acceligen's website.
Professor Raymond Rowland at the University of Illinois, a senior author on the paper and a world-recognized expert on PRRSV, said, "It is very rare in swine disease research to have an idea evolve from a concept outlined on a piece of paper to a new product that will help producers eliminate a dreaded disease. None of this would have been possible without the partnership with Acceligen."
Dr. Tad Sonstegard, co-author and CEO of Acceligen, said, "The results of this research demonstrate that Acceligen's approach to breed PRRSV resistant pigs opens an alternative avenue for making this trait available to the entire industry."
"The economic impact of utilizing PRRSV-resistant pigs may be positive and significant for the pork industry, eliminating the need for severe mitigation strategies and costly care. Ultimately, a healthier pig population contributes to a more sustainable and economically viable swine industry," said Rocco Morelli, CEO of Recombinetics Inc.
Acceligen primarily functions in the livestock gene-editing industry, providing livestock improvements for animal health and well-being that can empower farmers to increase sustainable production.
Source: Acceligen
