Biovet, a part of the Bharat Biotech group, has received approval from the Central Drug Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) for its new vaccine, BIOLUMPIVAXIN, which protects dairy cattle and buffaloes from lumpy skin disease (LSD). This marks an important step in veterinary medicine and India’s efforts to control animal diseases.

World’s first DIVA marker vaccine

BIOLUMPIVAXIN is a special type of vaccine made from a weakened form of the lumpy skin disease (LSD) virus. This helps animals develop immunity without getting sick. Scientists at the Indian Council of Agriculture Research-National Research Centre on Equines (ICAR-NRCE) in Hisar provided the virus strain used for this vaccine.

What makes BIOLUMPIVAXIN different is its DIVA marker technology. This means veterinarians can easily tell if an animal was vaccinated or if it got the disease naturally.

Dr Krishna Ella, the founder of Biovet and chairman of Bharat Biotech, called it a “game-changer for veterinary medicine for disease surveillance and eradication programs.” He explained that epidemiologists and field workers can now identify whether an animal received BIOLUMPIVAXIN or had been previously infected with LSD.

The development of BIOLUMPIVAXIN took around three years, and it is now ready for rollout. The vaccine will be produced at Biovet’s facilities in Mallur, Karnataka, which has the capacity to manufacture 500 million doses annually.

Biovet assures that the vaccine is safe and effective. It has been tested at ICAR-NRCE and the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) to meet the highest global standards.

Impact on India's dairy industry

Lumpy skin disease has badly affected India’s livestock sector. More than 200,000 cattle have died because of this disease, and many more have stopped producing enough milk. This has hurt the dairy industry, which is important for India’s economy.

Dr. Ella said that this new vaccine will help India become self-sufficient in animal healthcare and reduce the need to buy vaccines from other countries. He said, "The CDSCO licensure for this vaccine is a significant step toward Atmanirbhar Bharat in veterinary healthcare, which avoids dependency on imported vaccines."

With the launch of BIOLUMPIVAXIN, experts believe India’s livestock will be safer, helping the dairy industry grow and boosting the country’s economy.

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