A major Australian meat producer has issued a warning about a plan to inject livestock with a newly developed mRNA vaccine for foot-and-mouth disease, the first of its kind worldwide.
The NSW Government and American biotechnology company Tiba Biotech, announced earlier this month that they had developed a “breakthrough” vaccine for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), which is not present in Australia, as part of a project that had prior support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Tiba Biotech, a private firm which has also received grants from US government agency the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop mRNA vaccines for tick-borne diseases, last week lost funding for an unrelated RNA project when Health Secretary RFK Jr cancelled $500 million worth of contracts.
Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW Tara Moriarty said the aim of the new vaccine was to guard against a potentially catastrophic FMD outbreak that could cost the economy $80 billion, but meat company Stockman Steaks said it was “deeply concerned” about the project.
“mRNA vaccines represent a shift toward genetic interventions in our food supply. While hailed as innovative by some, questions linger about long-term effects on animal health, meat quality, and human consumption,” the company told customers.
“The vaccine awaits rigorous approval from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), but once greenlit, it could become widespread.
“Tiba Biotech emphasises storage advantages and safety at high doses, yet this technology is now targeting livestock. What unintended consequences might arise?”
On August 4 Tiba Biotech announced the results of a study conducted by Germany’s Friedrich Loeffler Institute on the efficacy of the new vaccine in cattle, and said “all vaccinated animals were fully protected, showing no signs of viral shedding or adverse effects”.
“The vaccine was developed by Tiba scientists as part of an international research collaboration with the Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute and the RNA Institute at the University of New South Wales, with support from the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA),” Tiba Biotech said.
“This success builds on earlier livestock vaccine research supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC).”
Peter McGrath, Tiba co-founder who heads Australian operations, said: “We’re proud to contribute to safeguarding Australia’s livestock industry and the future of animal health with this breakthrough next-generation solution.
“Unlike current mRNA technologies, our vaccines can be stored long-term at standard refrigeration temperatures and at room temperature for at least one month – a critical advantage in livestock applications.
“Our focus now shifts to working closely with regulators to ensure the vaccine meets the highest standards of safety and effectiveness for livestock and consumers.”
The vaccine took 18 months to develop and cost about $2.5 million, Ms Moriarty said, and is now undergoing further testing to make sure it meets APVMA standards before it can be approved for emergency use in the case of an FMD outbreak.
Tiba Biotech has been the recipient of multiple mRNA vaccine-related grants from the NIH, which also funded Wuhan Institute of Virology-linked US NGO EcoHealth Alliance in the years leading up to the Covid pandemic.
Stockman Steaks’ warning comes after it last year announced it would not use methane-reducing feed supplement Bovaer that sparked food safety fears after supermarket giant Coles revealed its suppliers were using the additive.
Header image credit: Left, NSW DPIRD. Right, Nadin Sh – Pexels.
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