ICAR-CIBA Partners with Indian Immunologicals Limited to Launch India's First Fish Vaccine

The ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIBA) has recently signed a partnership agreement with Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), Hyderabad. This collaboration aims to commercially develop the ICAR-CIBA vaccine "Nodavac-R," designed to combat viral nervous necrosis (VNN) in finfish species.

Viral nervous necrosis, also known as Viral Encephalopathy and Retinopathy, is a severe viral disease affecting a wide range of marine, brackishwater, and freshwater fish species. The disease is particularly devastating at the larval and early juvenile stages, often causing up to 100% mortality. While adult fish may not show symptoms, they can still transmit the virus to their offspring through eggs and gonadal fluids, posing a significant threat to the aquaculture industry.

ICAR-CIBA's development of the recombinant monovalent VNN vaccine represents a major advance in finfish health management. The vaccine, specifically designed for Asian Seabass, will be produced commercially through the partnership with IIL, a leading vaccine manufacturer in India.

Speaking at the agreement signing, Dr. Kuldeep K. Lal, Director of ICAR-CIBA, highlighted the importance of this vaccine in combating VNN. "Viral nervous necrosis is a major threat to finfish aquaculture due to the wide host range of the causative agent, the nervous necrosis virus. Our VNN vaccine can prevent vertical transmission of the disease to offspring and reduce mortality in fingerlings. This vaccine has the potential to significantly reduce losses due to VNN in India and other Asian countries," he said.

Dr. K. Anand Kumar, Managing Director of Indian Immunologicals Limited, highlighted the pioneering nature of this initiative. "IIL is the first company in India to venture into fish vaccines. We are addressing the needs of different types of fish and various culture conditions, from freshwater to brackishwater environments. Our experience with livestock vaccines has prepared us for the challenges of developing fish vaccines commercially in India," he noted.

Dr. Priyabrata Pattnaik, Deputy Managing Director of IIL, added that this partnership aligns with IIL's commitment to "One Health." "As a leading 'One Health' organization, IIL is dedicated to developing vaccines for various fish pathogens. Our long-term strategic objective is to reduce the use of antibiotics in aquaculture, thereby combating antimicrobial resistance in the environment," he explained.

India, the world's second-largest aquaculture producer, suffers significant economic losses due to infections from bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Despite the use of anti-infectives and conventional methods, managing these infections remains challenging. With increasing concerns about antimicrobial resistance and the demand for chemical-free food products, the need for effective control measures has never been greater.

Currently, there are no commercially available fish vaccines in India to prevent these aquaculture diseases, making the ICAR-CIBA and IIL partnership a timely and vital initiative.