UVAXX announces breakthrough against deadly fish disease

A Singapore company has developed a vaccine which it believes can successfully combat a deadly disease.

The company, UVAXX, a renowned leader in autogenous vaccines and a subsidiary of the Barramundi Group, made the announcement at the weekend.

It said the development had been carried out in conjunction with the Agency For Science Technology and Research in Singapore.

UVAXX has described the breakthrough against SDDV, which can cause serious losses, as a potential game changer for the sector.

SDDV causes fish to shed scales, develop lesions and suffer major mortalities. The vaccine is a formulation designed to protect fish from SDDV. It is also known as scale drop disease virus and can kill up to 70% of a pen of Asian sea bass, or barramundi.

By combining specific parts of the virus known as epitopes that trigger immune responses, the vaccine aims to strengthen the fish’s natural defences against the virus.

Dr Sunita Awate, Research Director, UVAXX said in a press release: “Through our 12 years of experience working with farmers to provide veterinary services and fish health solutions, we have witnessed first-hand the severity and devastation caused by SDDV.

“Asian sea bass farmers across the region need and want a solution. Having an efficacious SDDV vaccine can lead to a paradigm shift in aquaculture disease management, from a reactive to preventative approach, and transform farm production unit economics.”

The Straits Times said the development brings renewed hope for businesses farming Asian sea bass in Singapore, adding that the new vaccine has been developed to protect the fish from a deadly virus, which is endemic in local waters.

It meant the survivability rate of the fish, if infected, is increased by around 75%.

The paper adds that the disease cannot be transmitted to humans.

“Fish farms in the Johor Strait, where the majority of the businesses are located, have occasionally reported signs of the virus, which affects barramundi and yellowfin seabream,” it says.