VST LLC — Department of Agriculture SBIR Phase I: 8.3

Description

Tick-borne pathogens cause major economic losses to the livestock industry leading to anestimated $19.7 billion in losses for the U.S. including approximately $3 billion in losses for cattleproducers. Among the 900 species of ticks the Asian longhorned tick (ALT) an invasive non- native tick species poses a major threat to animal health and productivity in cattle and otherlivestock. Currently tick management includes inspection and chemical control and can be atedious and expensive process for livestock producers. Unfortunately there are no vaccines in theU.S. that target ALT. Medgene Labs will develop the first U.S.-based ALT anti-tick vaccine whichwill be baculovirus derived and administered as a 1- or 2-dose regimen. This vaccine willsignificantly reduce the cost time and effort associated with herd management. This Phase Iproject will 1) develop a vaccine that targets ALT infestations and 2) assess the immunogenicity ofthe vaccine in cattle through serological assays. Successful completion of our Phase I project willgenerate critical proof-of-concept data to support larger vaccine study trials in Phase II to establishthe utility of our vaccine against tick-borne disease in cattle and will provide a model for thedevelopment of effective vaccines against other tick species native to the U.S. Anticipated Phase IIwork will lead to submission of an Investigational New Animal Drug Application to the FDA'sCenter for Veterinary Medicine and enable the rapid deployment of an ALT vaccine to preventtick-borne illness.