Breakthrough Shot: First mRNA Vaccine Stops Foot-and-Mouth Disease
For the first time, cattle have been successfully protected from foot-and-mouth disease using an mRNA vaccine.
In a major step forward for livestock health, scientists have successfully tested an mRNA vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in cattle — a world first.
Developed by researchers in New South Wales, Australia, and U.S.-based Tiba Biotech, this new vaccine represents a leap beyond traditional FMD vaccines. Unlike older methods, it doesn’t rely on cultivating the actual virus, which typically requires high-security labs and complex safety protocols. That means production can be faster, safer, and more scalable.
Tested by the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI) in Germany, the vaccine was administered in two doses, four weeks apart. The results? Full protection from clinical disease and a dramatic drop in virus shedding. According to FLI experts, vaccinated cattle were unlikely to spread the virus — a critical feature for controlling outbreaks.
Not only does this mRNA vaccine avoid the need for purifying antigens (which complicates disease tracking with current vaccines), but it also offers a potential solution to faster emergency responses during outbreaks.
While further research is needed to see if a single dose offers similar protection and how quickly immunity kicks in, this trial marks a game-changing moment in animal health and vaccine technology.
Bottom line:
This mRNA vaccine could change how the livestock industry fights FMD — faster, safer, and more effective.
Source: https://www.agrarheute.com/tier/mks-mrna-impfstoff-erstmals-erfolgreich-rindern-636091