World-First mRNA Vaccine for Foot and Mouth Disease Underway

A US company is creating the world's first mRNA vaccine for foot-and-mouth disease in Australia. (Chaideer Mahyuddin/ Getty Images)

An Australian state government has signed a deal with U..S biotechnology company Tiba Biotech to develop mRNA vaccines for Foot and mouth disease (FMD) and Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) within a year.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional New South Wales (NSW) Paul Toole said the milestone would protect Australia’s $28.7 billion (US$18.5 billion) livestock industry.

“I have now written to vaccine manufacturers to take up my challenge to develop both vaccines ready for use and manufacture in NSW by Aug. 1 next year,” Toole said in a statement.

An outbreak of FMD, a contagious livestock disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, pigs, and sheep, would affect the meat and milk trades and lead to the slaughter of many animals, according to the government.

Minister for Agriculture Dugald Saunders said it is critical that Australia develop mRNA vaccines as quickly as possible to protect the livestock sector.

“The threat of FMD is ongoing, and there are concerns LSD could enter northern Australia this coming wet season, so it’s critical we continue to do what we can as quickly as we can,” Saunders said.

A vet vaccinates a cow for foot-and-mouth disease. (Australia's Department of Agriculture, Water, and the Environment)

“Current FMD vaccines use the virus itself, and there is yet to be an approved vaccine for use in Australia for LSD, so creating mRNA vaccines to combat either disease would be a game-changer for the industry.”

He said that the mRNA vaccine is cheaper and quicker to produce, highly effective, and very safe.

“Because they are fully synthetic and do not require any animal or microbial products, they do not carry the same risks as traditionally derived vaccines,” he said.

Meat and Livestock Australia managing director Jason Strong said mRNA vaccines had added benefits for the livestock industry.

“This type of vaccine technology may not require the longer testing and approval processes required for conventional vaccine development and importation as it does not use animal products,” Strong said.

“That means we can use it to provide faster responses to outbreaks, enable eradication and return to freedom status—and market access—sooner.”

Outbreak-Free for 150 Years

Australia has not had FMD for over a century, and the last outbreak was not extensive. The most serious incident of the disease occurred in Victoria in 1872 when FMD was found on two farms near Melbourne. Authorities destroyed all livestock on the properties and quarantined some of the neighbouring properties.

The risk of FMD hitting the country again is estimated to be just under 12 percent over the next five years, the government has said.

Racing to stamp out the disease, it introduced a bill last week to increase penalties for failing to declare meat products that carry the risk of FMD.

From Sep. 7, it passed a bill to ban the importation of meat for personal use from all countries with FMD.

Prior to these new changes, Australians were able to bring in some highly processed meat products for personal use—like pâté, pork crackling, or meat floss.