The ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIBA) in Chennai has entered into a partnership with Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), based in Hyderabad, to commercialize the production of the “Nodavac-R” vaccine. This vaccine, developed by ICAR-CIBA, targets Viral Nervous Necrosis (VNN), a critical disease affecting various finfish species.
Viral Nervous Necrosis, also known as Viral Encephalopathy and Retinopathy (VER), is a serious viral infection impacting marine, brackishwater, and freshwater fishes. The disease is highly lethal during the larval and early juvenile stages, with mortality rates reaching up to 100%. Although adult fish may not show symptoms, they can carry the virus and pass it on to their offspring through eggs and gonadal fluids.
The “Nodavac-R” vaccine is a recombinant monovalent vaccine, specifically designed to protect Asian Seabass against VNN. Through this partnership, IIL, a leading vaccine manufacturer in India, will oversee the large-scale production of the vaccine, which is expected to play a crucial role in preventing the vertical transmission of the virus and reducing mortality rates in juvenile fish.
Dr. Kuldeep K. Lal, Director of ICAR-CIBA, emphasized the vaccine’s significance, stating, “Viral Nervous Necrosis is a substantial challenge for finfish aquaculture due to its wide range of hosts. The VNN vaccine we’ve developed can effectively prevent the transmission of the virus to offspring and significantly reduce mortality in fingerlings. This vaccine has the potential to greatly reduce the impact of VNN not only in India but also across other Asian countries.”
Dr. M. Makesh, Principal Investigator of the project, mentioned that the project also includes the development of diagnostic tools to detect the virus and monitor immune responses in fish, which will support the effective use of the vaccine.
Dr. K Anand Kumar, Managing Director of Indian Immunologicals Limited, discussed the importance of this collaboration, noting, “Indian Immunologicals is pioneering fish vaccine development in India. We are addressing the needs of various types of fish and culture environments, and although we face challenges as the first movers in this field, we are committed to establishing clear pathways for the commercial development of fish vaccines.”
Dr. Priyabrata Pattnaik, Deputy Managing Director of IIL, further added, “As a leader in ‘One Health,’ IIL is dedicated to developing vaccines that tackle various fish pathogens. Our goal is to reduce the reliance on antibiotics in aquaculture, thereby addressing the broader issue of antimicrobial resistance in the environment.”
India is currently the world’s second-largest producer of aquaculture, with an annual output of 12.12 million tonnes. The industry faces significant challenges from bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections, which result in substantial economic losses. Presently, these infections are managed through various conventional methods, including anti-infectives, which have limited effectiveness. With increasing concerns about antimicrobial resistance and the demand for chemical-free food products, there is a growing need for improved disease control measures in aquaculture. The commercial availability of fish vaccines like “Nodavac-R” represents a significant step forward in meeting these challenges and advancing the industry.
Source: ICAR-CIBA
