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MSD Animal Health (known as Merck Animal Health in the United States and Canada) today announced that, following a positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use (CVMP), the European Commission has approved Poricilis® PCV M Hyo, the only, ready-to-use single-injection combination vaccine in Europe that protects piglets against Porcine Circovirus and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infections during the fattening period.
PCV2 is widely prevalent in swine herds around the world and can affect weight gain and overall performance, even if there are no outward signs of infection. Severe cases of the disease can result in rapid weight loss, diarrhea and even death. M. hyopneumoniae damages the airways of the lower respiratory tract and allows for secondary infections to occur, which can reduce productivity and lead to significant economic losses for producers.
“PCV2 and M. hyopneumoniae are two of the most important contributors to respiratory diseases in pigs and are a considerable burden to swine producers,” said Narciso Bento, Global Swine Business, MSD Animal Health. “Porcilis PCV M Hyo is a convenient new option for producers and provides the immunity piglets need during a crucial time in their development.”
The Porcilis PCV M Hyo vaccine reduces the number of vaccinations given to young piglets by providing protection against both diseases for at least 21 weeks after a single injection with no restrictions to maternally derived antibody levels. The vaccine comes ready-to-use and does not require mixing.
“Combining these two vaccines into a single injection is a technical breakthrough,” said Ruud Segers, Global R&D Swine Biologicals, MSD Animal Health. “It delivers a favorable safety profile while retaining strong efficacy against both pathogens providing protection for piglets and assurance for farmers.”
Approved indication:
Porcilis® PCV M Hyo is indicated for the active immunization of piglets to:
- Reduce viraemia, virus load in lungs and lymphoid tissues and virus shedding caused by Porcine Circovirus type 2 infection
- Reduce severity of lung lesions caused by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infection
- Reduce the loss of daily weight gain during the finishing period in face of infections with M. hyopneumoniae and/or PCV2 (as observed in field studies)
The product has expiry dating of 2 years. Detailed conditions of the product are described in the summary of product characteristics (SPC), published on the European Medicines Agency’s website.
November 24, 2014 - MSD
