Update on mRNA vaccines for Livestock.
I’m often asked if mRNA vaccines are being used on Livestock.
To date the answer is no. However there is a pilot trial underway in NSW for Border disease using an mRNA vaccine.
At this stage, the mRNA vaccine hasn’t been approved by the APVMA.
Whether or not it will be approved remains to be seen but it does seem apparent that the authorities want to use mRNA vaccines in the future.
As I try to point out, using vaccines for a single protein in a pathogen is ineffective as it does not provide long lasting protection against mutations. This is in contrast to traditional vaccines that protect against most of the proteins in a pathogen, which then provides long lasting protection.
Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee
31/05/2024
Estimates
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY PORTFOLIO
Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority
Senator RENNICK: My question is in regard to the New South Wales government approving or fast-tracking an mRNA vaccine for border disease virus, and it’s being manufactured in New South Wales. Do you have any input into that at all, or do you keep an eye on what the state government agencies do in regard to biosecurity?
Dr McEwen: We don’t have input into that, but we are at the moment looking at the processes that we would undertake in order to approve mRNA vaccines.
Senator RENNICK: Where does the authority lie—with the federal government?
Dr McEwen: To approve a vaccine?
Senator RENNICK: Yes. On 1 May there was a press release put out to say that they’d fast-tracked an mRNA vaccine for border disease virus. Have you had any input into that, or oversight? Have you approved that, or not?
Dr McEwen: We haven’t approved that as yet. We haven’t as yet approved any mRNA vaccines.
Senator RENNICK: So why has the New South Wales government put this out? They’re saying it’s a pilot project and that they’ve successfully manufactured it, but it hasn’t been approved.
Dr Trainer: That’s correct. We understand that it’s a pilot project in a contained facility at this point.
Senator RENNICK: That’s good to know. In regard to mRNA vaccines, I’m not sure if you’re familiar with the pathway, but they basically seek to neuter one protein rather than the rest of the proteins in the virus. For single-stranded mRNA viruses, it then leads to the risk of mutation. There are two factors. You’ve got the pattern of climbing, where the mRNA virus will mutate around to escape the actual vaccine. Then you’ve got original antigenic sin, where the actual sheep, in this case, will build up an immunity to the first virus but not the second virus. Is this something you’re looking at in regard to, say, the bulk rollout of mRNA vaccines for the various diseases that exist out there?
Dr McEwen: When we assess any vaccine, and that will include mRNA vaccines, we look at a range of different aspects of it. That includes its efficacy, so whether it works or not; its chemistry and manufacture; its likely impact on the environment, if it’s something that may have an impact on the environment; and its human health impact. We will look very closely. This is one of the reasons we’re doing some preparatory work around how we would assess mRNA vaccines, because they are newer to the market. We’ve had some initial discussions with TGA. We’ve spoken with industry about it. We’ve talked to international counterparts about the processes in this. From our point of view it’s critical that we make sure we have a firmly science-based approach to assessing any applications.
Senator RENNICK: Thank you. One of the issues with the COVID vaccines, of course, was there was no long-term testing. But what we really need to see here is long-term testing. I’ll give you the example of Dengue fever. There are four different strains, and I’ve spoken to people who’ve had two different strains of Dengue fever. They said the first time they had it—no problems. The second time they got it, they got wiped out because the body had an immune response to the first strain of dengue fever, not the second strain. My concern is that with these single-stranded mRNA viruses, because they do mutate in and there are various strands, if we build up a resistance to one strain and then the livestock get exposed to another strain, their immune system isn’t going to be as strong. We’re going to look at the entire longitudinal impacts of multiple repeated shots of—
Dr McEwen: What we’ll be looking at is what the requirements are versus our statutory criteria. We have criteria that we need to meet under the AGVET Code. We will follow those and ensure that we apply the rigour that’s required by our current legislation.
Senator RENNICK: Okay, thank you.
