Indigenous African Swine Fever Vaccine Developed by ICAR
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research's National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (ICAR-NIHSAD) has developed India's first indigenous MA-104 cell-based live attenuated African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccine for pigs. This breakthrough addresses African Swine Fever, a devastating trans-boundary animal disease affecting domestic and wild pigs worldwide with mortality rates approaching 100%, which has caused severe socio-economic losses to India's pig farming sector since its first detection in 2020.
The economic impact of ASF outbreaks in India has been substantial, with estimated losses of approximately ₹276 crore in Assam during 2020-2021 outbreaks, and approximately ₹982 crore in Mizoram affecting more than 11,382 households up to 2025. The disease has resulted in massive pig mortality, disruption of pig production, restrictions on animal movement and trade, and significant livelihood losses for smallholder pig farmers, particularly in the North-Eastern region.
The vaccine was developed using a novel attenuated ASFV Genotype II virus with unique gene deletions in the MA-104 cell line and has successfully undergone comprehensive laboratory evaluation including sterility, purity, safety, genetic stability, immunogenicity, protective efficacy and virulence reversion studies. Field validation was conducted in collaboration with the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, establishing its safety and efficacy under field conditions.
The vaccine is recommended for healthy pigs above eight weeks of age and is administered as a 1 mL intramuscular injection, followed by a booster dose 14 days after primary vaccination. This indigenous development represents a major technological breakthrough as it uses the widely available MA-104 cell line instead of proprietary manufacturing platforms, enabling large-scale vaccine production and significantly reducing manufacturing costs.
Currently, only a couple of commercially licensed ASF vaccines are available in Vietnam, making India's indigenous development particularly significant for strengthening the country's animal health security and supporting sustainable growth of the pig farming sector. The vaccine is expected to substantially reduce pig mortality, minimize economic losses, and improve livelihoods of pig farmers across the country.