Hester Biosciences Nepal has developed and launched its Live Thermo-tolerant PPR (Peste Des Petits) Vaccine – Nigerian 75/1 Strain, under the brand name Live Thermovac PPR Vaccine.

Hester Nepal recently got the regulatory approval and marketing authorisation from the Department of Drug Administration (DDA), Nepal, for its commercial production and marketing. The vaccine has also been tested for thermo-stability and has received a quality certification from The Pan African Veterinary Centre of the African Union (AU-PANVAC).

Hester is now geared up for commercial production and marketing of its thermo-tolerant PPR vaccine from December 2020. The vaccine will be available in packs of 25, 50 and 100 doses.

PPR or Small Ruminant Plague is a disease of sheep and goat, with a significant impact on the livelihoods and food security of small livestock keepers across the globe, wherein 1.44 billion small ruminants are at risk and on an average 30 million animals are affected annually.

“As most of the small ruminant keepers are in rural areas, the thermo-tolerant characteristic of this vaccine will ensure the safe delivery of a stable vaccine in remote areas of the world where cold chain maintenance is a challenge. The thermo-tolerant vaccine could overcome the last-mile-delivery challenges,” informed a company statement.

Through FAO & OIE, global efforts are being made to eradicate PPR disease in small ruminants by 2030 through vaccination.

In March 2019, Hester Biosciences Nepal collaborated with Feed the Future Partnering for Innovation programme funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to commercialise a thermo-tolerant version of the PPR Vaccine, developed by Tufts University. The training and technical inputs were given by the scientists of Tufts university to ensure the swift transfer of technology to develop the vaccine.

Hester India, as well as Hester Nepal, have already been manufacturing the standard (non thermo-tolerant) PPR vaccine for over five years. The thermo-tolerant PPR vaccine will add to its range for a specific rural and backyard market mainly covering small holder livestock keepers, worldwide.