Merck Animal Health Launches First Live Poultry Vaccine in the US to Combat Multiple and Untreated Diseases
INNOVAX-ND-IBD® Provides Simultaneous Single Injection Protection Against Newcastle Disease, Infectious Bursal Disease and Marek’s Disease
Madison, NJ, USA, November 7, 2018 – Merck Animal Health (known as MSD Animal Health outside the United States and Canada), today announced the launch of INNOVAX®-ND-IBD, the first live vaccine in the United States, made with biotechnology that protects against three highly infectious diseases in poultry – Newcastle Disease (ND), Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD) and Marek’s disease (MD). The vaccine provides protection for ND, IBD and MD simultaneously when given to chickens either in ovo or subcutaneously in the hatchery.
Currently, there are no treatment options available in the United States to combat these highly contagious infections which affect a range of systems, including the nervous, respiratory, immune and reproductive systems of many species of domestic and wild birds.1,2,3 If an outbreak hits a flock, the impact on the birds’ welfare and productivity is significant.
“Protection against these important diseases will result in healthy and highly productive flocks,” said Ivan Alvarado, DVM, Merck Animal Health. “INNOVAX-ND-IBD makes it easier for producers to protect their flocks with a single vaccine, which does not interfere with other live respiratory vaccines.”
About INNOVAX-ND-IBD®
INNOVAX-ND-IBD is a multivalent live vaccine that uses the “dual-construct technology” in a live herpes virus of turkey (HVT).
INNOVAX-ND-IBD does not contain live ND or IBD viruses and cannot induce virus spread, revert to virulence or interfere with other live respiratory vaccines. In addition, there are no post-vaccinal reactions because HVT is safe and nonpathogenic to chickens. Importantly, maternal antibodies do not interfere with INNOVAX-ND-IBD.
Together with our line of respiratory vaccines, INNOVAX family provides the most complete selection of vaccines to be applied in the hatchery.
About Merck Animal Health
For more than a century, Merck, a leading global biopharmaceutical company, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases. Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside the United States and Canada, is the global animal health business unit of Merck. Through its commitment to the Science of Healthier Animals™, Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, pet owners and governments one of the widest range of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services. Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, wellbeing and performance of animals. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. Merck Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.merck-animal-health-usa.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter at @MerckAH.
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This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. There can be no guarantees with respect to pipeline products that the products will receive the necessary regulatory approvals or that they will prove to be commercially successful. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.
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1 Newcastle disease in poultry. Merck Veterinary Manual. Retrieved from http://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/newcastle-disease-and-other-paramyxovirus-infections/newcastle-disease-in-poultry
2 Overview of infectious bursal disease in poultry. Merck Veterinary Manual. Retrieved from https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/infectious-bursal-disease/overview-of-infectious-bursal-disease-in-poultry
3 Marek’s disease. The Poultry Site. Retrieved from http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/90/mareks-disease/