Biovet Gets CDSCO Nod for Lumpy Skin Disease Vaccine

Hyderabad’s biotech firm gets CDSCO nod for LSD vax for cattle

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Mohammed Rayees 10 Feb 2025 3:41 PM

News in short:

Hyderabad-based biotech firm Bharat Biotech's subsidiary, Biovet, has received approval from the CDSCO to manufacture and market Biolumpvaxin, a vaccine for lumpy skin disease (LSD) in cattle and buffaloes. This vaccine is considered groundbreaking as it is the world's first and only "marker" vaccine for LSD, allowing veterinarians to distinguish between vaccinated and infected animals. This "DIVA" technology is a game-changer for disease surveillance and eradication programs. Biovet will produce 500 million doses annually at its Mallur, Karnataka facility, ensuring India's self-reliance in veterinary healthcare. The vaccine has undergone rigorous testing and is expected to reduce the impact of LSD, a disease that has severely affected India's livestock in recent years.

Hyderabad: Hyderabad-based biotech firm Bharat Biotech’s arm Biovet has secured a licence from the Central Drug Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) to produce a vaccine for lumpy skin disease (LSD) in dairy cattle and buffaloes.

Biovet is an integral part of Hyderabad’s multinational biotechnology company. The animal health vaccine maker on Monday announced that it has received an approval from CDSCO to market its revolutionary vaccine, Biolumpvaxin. The novel Indigenous live-attenuated vaccine is considered as the world’s first and only marker vaccine for LSD.

“The launch of this DIVA (Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals) marker vaccine represents a pivotal innovation in veterinary medicine, enhancing disease surveillance and promoting eradication programs,” Biovet Founder Krishna Ella said in a statement.

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Biolumpvaxin will be produced by Biovet at its facilities in Mallur, Karnataka. The facility is capable of producing 500 million doses of the vaccine in a year. The vaccine has undergone a comprehensive testing process for quality, safety, and effectiveness at ICAR-NRCE and the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI).

The vaccine will enable serological differentiation between naturally infected and vaccinated animals with the DIVA concept in it. DIVA marker vaccine is being touted as a game changer for veterinary medicine for disease surveillance.

“Veterinarians and epidemiologists can now easily distinguish between animals vaccinated with BIOLUMPIVAXIN and those previously infected with LSD,” Ella added.

The deadly viral lumpy skin disease has reportedly killed nearly 2 lakh cattle and severely affected the milk production of millions more across the country during the last two years.

Describing the CDSCO approval as a significant step towards India’s self-reliance (Atmanirmbhar) in veterinary healthcare, Ella further said that the vaccine will reduce the need for imported vaccines and boost India’s progress toward a disease-free livestock population.