The KPP Powers Commodities Inc. (KPP Powers) confirmed that the vaccine against African Swine Fever (ASF) would soon be commercially available in the Philippines, with the trial expected to end on April 2023.
ASF is a highly contagious viral disease of domestic and wild pigs, whose mortality rate could reach up to 100%. Despite not affecting human health, it has a dangerous effect on pig populations and the farming economy.
“Once infected with ASF, pigs die within a matter of days resulting in huge losses to hog farmers. In the Philippines, ASF is directly responsible for more than a 50-percent decline in the local swine population, resulting in the loss of livelihoods of local hog backyard raisers, the shutdown of large commercial pig farms, decline in feed mill operations and loss of revenues of allied industries with an estimated economic value of more than P100 billion a year,” the KPP Powers said.
They were also coordinating with Vietnamese manufacturer AVAC Vietnam Joint Stock Co for local distribution.
Vaccines were produced and tested by AVAC in Vietnam, with the Vietnamese government strictly monitoring the clinical trial and field testing.
"[AVAC is] the only company in the world that has a commercial use ASF vaccine with a valid certificate of product registration,” KPP Powers Managing Director Juancho Robles said.
They are the 'first veterinary vaccine factory in Vietnam certified under the World Health Organization-Good Manufacturing Practices standard'.
KPP Powers currently conduct local trials under the Bureau of Animal Industry supervision.
San Miguel Corporation, UNAHCO, Charoen Pokphand Philippines, and PILMICO were also involved in the said testing.
