Anocovax: Agriculture Minister Launches India's First Covid-19 Vaccine For Animals

Anocovax is an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Delta vaccine for animals, and induces an immunity in the organism in a way such that both Delta and Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2 are neutralised.

Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar, on Thursday launched Anocovax, India's first homegrown Covid-19 vaccine for animals, news agency PTI reported. Anocovax is developed by Haryana based-ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines (NRC). 

What Is Anocovax?

Anocovax is an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Delta vaccine for animals, and induces an immunity in the organism in a way such that both Delta and Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2 are neutralised, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) said in a statement. 

The compound Alhydrogel is used as an adjuvant for the vaccine. Anocovax is safe for dogs, lions, leopards, mice and rabbits.

After the virtual launch of the Covid-19 vaccine, along with ICAR-NRC-developed diagnostic kits for animals, Tomar said it is due to the untiring contributions of scientists that the country stands self-reliant in developing its own vaccines more, rather than importing. 

CAN-CoV-2 ELISA Kit Also Launched

Tomar also launched the 'CAN-CoV-2 ELISA kit', which is a sensitive and specific nucleocapsid protein-based indirect ELISA kit. ELISA, which stands for Enzyme-Linked Immunoassay, is a commonly used laboratory test to detect antibodies in the blood. The CAN-CoV-2 ELISA kit will be used for antibody detection against SARS-CoV-2 in canines.

The ICAR said that there are no laboratory animals required for the preparation of antigens, and that the kit is made in India. Also, a patent had been filed for the same, and no other comparable kits for detection of antibodies in canines are available in the market.

What Is Surra ELISA Kit?

A diagnostic assay for infection caused by the parasite Trypanosoma evansi in multiple animal species was also launched. The kit is called the Surra ELISA kit, the PTI report said.

Surra is one of the most important haemoprotozoan diseases of the different livestock species caused by Trypanosoma evansi, and is prevalent in all the agro-climatic parts of India. The parasite infects the red blood cells. Haemoprotozoan diseases cause fever, severe anaemia, jaundice, brownish urine, loss of appetite, dullness or depression, rapid deterioration of the physical condition, muscular tremors, and constipation, according to the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

Tomar also launched the Equine DNA parentage testing kit, which is a powerful genomic technology for parentage analysis among horses.