Intervacc AB (publ) announced that it, together with Moredun Scientific, has been awarded a grant from the Eurostars-3 programme covering approx. 50 % of the 1.7 million project to advance Intervacc's prototype vaccine against Streptococcus suis infections in pigs. Streptococcus suis causes meningitis, septicaemia and arthritis in young piglets, leading to significant costs to the pig industry throughout the world.

Intervacc's innovative vaccine technology utilises fusion proteins to generate broad-acting immune responses that provide protection to animals from complex bacterial diseases. A particular challenge for vaccines against S. suis is the onset of disease in very young pigs shortly after weaning, before most vaccines have an opportunity to take effect. However, in proof-of-concept studies, the consumption of colostrum from sows that were vaccinated with Intervacc's prototype vaccine provided significant levels of protection to piglets against Streptococcus suis at both 4 and 7 weeks of age.

The control of disease caused by S. suis currently requires the extensive use of antibiotics. S. suis is also an important cause of zoonotic disease in humans. Therefore, the development of a safe and effective vaccine that protects piglets is an urgent unmet need.

The new 1.7 million Eurostars-3 programme award, provides a grant covering approximately 50% of the total project costs. The project will also be conducted in collaboration with Testa Center, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and the Karolinska Institute.