Medgene offers first cattle vaccine against Theileria
Medgene, a South Dakota-based animal health company, has launched the first prescription platform vaccine targeting Theileria orientalis Ikeda in cattle in the United States. The vaccine addresses a globally prevalent tick-borne pathogen.
Medgene, an animal health company based in Brookings, South Dakota, has introduced the first and only prescription platform vaccine designed to target the Theileria orientalis Ikeda parasite in cattle. This pathogen is globally prevalent and transmitted to cattle through ticks.
Theileria causes bovine infectious anemia, which can manifest as fever, jaundice, lethargy, reduced milk production, abortions, and potentially death. Tick-borne pathogens are estimated to cause over $13.9 billion in losses annually within the U.S. cattle industry.
The company highlights that there is no approved treatment for Theileria in the United States. Animals that survive the infection remain carriers for life, potentially impacting their productivity and reproductive capacity. The new vaccine, formulated without animal-derived ingredients, provides veterinarians with a tool to manage the parasite, which is spread by vectors such as the Asian longhorned tick.
Medgene states it is continuing research into vaccines for other tick-borne diseases. The vaccine is administered as a two-shot series and requires a veterinarian's prescription. The company is also developing other biocidal vaccines.