Any technical people pls. New African Horse Sickness Vaccine patented

Cuffey

Cuffey

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Also in Vet
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=544239

http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/8168200/fulltext.html

Can anyone please explain in simple language what is patented?

Does this patent stop the other groups working on a new vaccine from patenting their version?
In other words will there be a monopoly to produce AHS vaccine until 2029?

Interesting that ''they'' do admit that the current vaccine can kill horses which our horse owning friends are experiencing now in SA, yet vaccination is compulsory to move your horses into certain areas
 
By law ALL our horse owners in South Africa have to vaccinate our horses. Not only for movement into certain areas. Everytime we vaccinate we play russian roulette - maybe we kill them, maybe we don't. Is that acceptable anywhere else in the world? I think not. The same people responsible for this killing vaccine are also behind registering this patent. This way they are trying to ensure they retain the very lucrative monopoly they hold. They have to be stopped!:mad:
 
How can the right to develop a working vaccine to stop the carnage belong to anyone? These people clearly do not have the best interest of our horses at heart. If they did they would embrace every possible progress from whomever is capable of applying their knowledge in the development of such a vaccine. A vaccine that actually works and do not kill. They hold their own financial interest above all these precious lives. I really hope someone can answer the original question. More importantly, how do we stop this?
 
Cuffey said:
Also in Vet
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=544239

http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/8168200/fulltext.html

Can anyone please explain in simple language what is patented?

Does this patent stop the other groups working on a new vaccine from patenting their version?
In other words will there be a monopoly to produce AHS vaccine until 2029?

Interesting that ''they'' do admit that the current vaccine can kill horses which our horse owning friends are experiencing now in SA, yet vaccination is compulsory to move your horses into certain areas
Click to expand...

Other researchers are still able to research alternative vaccines. It is only the particular vaccine that is patented.
 
Anglebracket said:
Other researchers are still able to research alternative vaccines. It is only the particular vaccine that is patented.
Click to expand...


Thank you for that
I am aware of other people working on AHS vaccine and understand one group were forbidden to do trials in SA as Onderstepoort (who produce current vaccine) want to retain a monopoly.
So annoying that money and politics come into whether animals (and people) live or die.
 
Right.

Patents: No it doesn't necessarily mean that everyone else will stop working on their version of a new vaccine. Usually you can only patent quite specific things, so one antibody or one very specifically attenuated version of the virus or the very specific way the virus is carried etc, etc. So any other groups working on a vaccine may well be working on something different enough that their version doesn't break patent law and you may find more than one vaccine eventually makes it on to the market.

There is no point getting up in arms about pharma companies needing to patent things and make money. They are businesses. The reason they can patent new drugs is to ensure they have a chance to re-coup some of the millions they pour into making the products. There is nothing evil or shady about it, it's just business.

I don't live in SA so I don't know the politics but I assume the legal requirement to vaccinate is based in statistical risk analysis and no, you're right. The government (and the manufacturer although they won't be involved in whether it is a requirement or not) do not care about individual cases. They care about the health of the population as a whole. Clearly it has been decided that the risk of vaccinating is smaller than the risk of not doing so.

If the current vaccine is problematic I hope someone comes up with something better but it is difficult and it takes an awful lot of money so it could be a while!!

Hope I haven't over simplified too much about how pharma/diagnostics work. It's incredibly complicated and I am by no means an expert. I just work in the industry!! lol
 
Pharma is not the problem here at all.The goverment developed the vaccine 50 years ago. The people manufacturing, controlling and distributing the vaccine all are the same people.Furthermore the same people also have to authorise competing vaccine development.On top of that they are also the people doing the Ahs blood tests and controlling the outcome of results and reported statistical results. This is a conflict of interest as bad as it gets.The accuracy of new PCR testing of samples are highly debateable with many vets even questioning the results. This enforced live vaccine is putting the whole herd at risk as it CAUSE outbreaks. If it was safe the EU would not have decided the risk for them was to big and disallowed the use due to the high risk factor of causing outbreaks.Not a month ago a perfectly healthy horse had to be vaccinated due to movement regulations. He was in an area with zero cases all season. After the vaccine he died. We are by law forced to put our horses in harms way. This is not acceptable and we urgently need international intervention and investigation into these practises.:(
 
Thanks SacredHorse :) Definitely don't know the ins and outs. Sounds like a nightmare.

Is the one just patented also the government's?
 
jesstickle said:
Thanks SacredHorse :) Definitely don't know the ins and outs. Sounds like a nightmare.

Is the one just patented also the government's?
Click to expand...

The patent appears to be between Merial, Univ of California and Univ of Pretoria so hopefully is outwith SA Gov control but I dont fully understand the implications............
 
Yes, and that is why we are trying to find out exactly what is patented. Will this further their monopoly? We need an inactivated (dead) vaccine without the huge risk of causing outbreaks,developed and registered internationally and thereby bypassing this whole unhealthy situation.This is not only in our interest but also for the rest of the world. Global spreading of Ahs is an enormous threat. If it reaches Europe you will have mass culling with billions of losses.:(
 
SacredHorse said:
Yes, and that is why we are trying to find out exactly what is patented. Will this further their monopoly? We need an inactivated (dead) vaccine without the huge risk of causing outbreaks,developed and registered internationally and thereby bypassing this whole unhealthy situation.This is not only in our interest but also for the rest of the world. Global spreading of Ahs is an enormous threat. If it reaches Europe you will have mass culling with billions of losses.:(
Click to expand...

I know that the Italians are working on a vac but ironically, it wont be used here in Italy. According to my vet (and others) the policy here is mass culling to make sure that there are no reservoir hosts. It's a nightmare waiting to happen :(
 
pixie said:
Sacred: Since when did it become mandatory to vaccinate all horses against AHS every year?
Click to expand...

The SA DAFF site is currently being updated--notes from Western Cape Province

http://www.elsenburg.com/vets/diseaseinfo/ahsnda.html

Prevent the disease from entering your stable or property
A vaccine is available for use in South Africa. However, its use is not permitted in the African horse sickness-free or surveillance zone of the Western Cape Province (see maps). To obtain the vaccine in these zones, the Director: Veterinary Services of the Western Cape must be requested to give written permission.
In terms of the Animal Diseases Act (Act No. 35 of 1984), all horses, donkeys and mules must be vaccinated annually with an approved African horse sickness vaccine. The best time to vaccinate is in September, before the warm, rainy season starts. The vaccine consists of 2 doses given 3 weeks apart. The animals may only get light exercise during the period up to 3 weeks after vaccination, especially those animals vaccinated for the first time.
Foals of vaccinated dams can be vaccinated at or after 6 months of age. Foals of unvaccinated dams must be vaccinated earlier because they have not received immunity from their dams. They may be vaccinated from as early as 1 to 2 months of age.
The owner may vaccinate his animals, but if a vaccination certificate is required for any reason or a permit is required to move horses to the Western Cape Province, then vaccination must be performed by a registered veterinarian.
 
Hmm, none of ours or our neighbours' were ever done, on advice from our vet. However, they didn't leave the property or come into contact with other horses, and we weren't in a midgey or animal farm area.

ETS: This was about 15 years ago mind you, so I guess things have got stricter now? I don't know anyone in SA with horses anymore.
 
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Our current 'ancient' AHS vaccine in SA is produced by Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP), a state-owned company which is completely separate from our 'DAFF Research Institute - which is Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute - Agricultural Research Council (OVI-ARC). Many years ago they were under one roof but then OBP became private and separated over a decade ago with change of Government. OBP it seems have done nothing about the old vaccine, although they claim to have "spent millions on AHS research" - we have never been shown any evidence of this. Then there is the Equine Research Centre at the Faculty of Veterinary Science, also at Onderstepoort, another 'separate' lot of scientists working on a vaccine, but this one we have been promised for 7 years now and apparently (stand to be corrected) they are only around half way - which to me seems like still a very long wait until that one is available to us? It is also clear that ERC and the AHS Trust, being mostly funded by Racing SA and TBA, are working only on the 'export needs' of the Racing Industry, with the focus of control being on the Western Cape AHS Export Zone and the rest of us in SA are 'left to our own devices'! Huge lack of research over the years, bad reporting systems and no accurate DATA available - has left us in the 'dark ages'!
Nothing is done to 'control AHS' anywhere in the country, but only in the small area of WC Control Zone. Only cases in this area need to be reported to the OIE which is also ridiculous and creates a totally false impression. Last year there were over 1000 cases at least, in SA.

Currently there is much news about 'relaxing' the Export Controls and the only ones doing all the talking 'on our behalf' are the 'powers that be' from Racing SA and ERC, the majority of horse owners do not have say or get any attention. The AHS Trust have even refused to publish a 'Public Press Release' from AHS equi-link on behalf of many horse owners and they ignored a petition sent to them last year.

I agree that the 'patent' only applies to the specific vaccine being worked on by a particular Lab. There are also other scientists working on a new AHS vaccine, such as Pirthbright in the UK and I believe there may be more but don't have details. Maybe they will come up with one before SA does? One thing I can be very sure of, is that the current OBP vaccine will definitely not protect horses should AHS arrive in Europe, firstly because a horse needs at least 2 or 3 vaccinations before building up adequate immunity and even then, some fully vaccinated horses have been dying in SA in what seems to be increasing numbers over the last few years. Not surprising since the vaccine has never been updated in decades and we are dealing with a virus that already has "9 known strains", who knows what type of mutations are taking place? Vaccinating with a 'live virus' vaccine once an outbreak has started will be more dangerous than helpful. We therefore urge horse owners all over the world to take note of the 'powers' here trying to convince the OIE to relax export laws - this should NOT be allowed until an effective and reliable vaccine is available to protect the thousands of horses this could effect if there is an unexpected outbreak in another country. Take serious note of what has happened with the Bluetongue and Schmullenburg outbreaks in Europe, how extremely fast these spread ..... and the vectors are the exact same midges which spread AHS - Culicoides.
 
As AHSequilink states South African Racing really are only concerned with getting racehorse exports moving again, shortening quarantine times etc

Have a look at this:
http://www.racingsouthafrica.com/view_page.aspx?ID=869

BUT: Note this comment from TheHorse.com

''Contrary to other reports in circulation that were not published by the OIE, no member nations have been granted AHS recognition status yet, the OIE spokesman said. AHS recognition status will not be available until 2013.''

http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=20194
 
Apologies just realised the SA Racing link has been rewritten from the original

You might find this interesting, Mike also mentions a horse dying of AHS at Clairwood (racecourse and training centre) recently--no mention of this on AHS Trust warning site that has been ''sleeping'' since mid April despite numerous ongoing cases.

http://mikedekockracing.com/wp/index.php/2012/06/changes-to-ahs-code-chapter/
 
to be able to get a patent to granted status you need to demonstrate an inventive step as long as that step is unlike no other world wide published or in the public domain then you can expect to be given a grant this rule applies to anything that is patented drug /product/ process you must never have disclosed the details of how or what you have inveted as well in other words in must be a secret. unless a non disclosure document is in place. a patent once granted can then issue license's for manufacture (rights) and these can be used in differnt parts of the world I had a USA Patent EU Patent and Japan if someone comes up with a new inventive step using what you have already developed this is a improvement and you own that right not your compeption even if its bsed on there patent ! so there you go hope this helps
Winner of British Invention of the year 2000
 
pixie said:
Sacred: Since when did it become mandatory to vaccinate all horses against AHS every year?
Click to expand...

The TBA link hopefully explains which horses are vaccinated and only ''sentinel'' horses in the control Zone are forbidden vaccination so are always at risk
I understand there is no enforcement of vaccination rules except for Racing and other competition and showing disciplines and moving a horse into the Western Cape area.

The Mamre outbreak in the Surveillance Zone caused suspension of horse exports for 2 years under current rules which SA Racing expect to be able to reduce under proposed new OIE agreements

http://www.africanhorsesickness.co.za/Documents\doc_37.pdf

http://www.tba.co.za/pdf/African_horse_sickness_update1_2.pdf

The SA DAFF site is still not fully open--ie no AHS statistics available
However the media statement on how SA will gain from new OIE agreement is available

http://www.nda.agric.za/docs/media/...f the African Horse Sickness Code Chapter.pdf
 
Just to point out a correction needed in info posted by 'Sacred Horse' where she says the following:-

"The people manufacturing, controlling and distributing the vaccine all are the same people.Furthermore the same people also have to authorise competing vaccine development.On top of that they are also the people doing the Ahs blood tests and controlling the outcome of results and reported statistical results. This is a conflict of interest as bad as it gets."

OBP are the manufacturers of the current old vaccine but they are definitely not the "same people controlling the outcome of results and reported statistical results", they have nothing to do with that side of things. Testing of samples is done by two separate places currently, one being Equine Research Centre (ERC) which is also at Onderstepoort Faculty of Vet Science, but separate, private and funded mostly by Racing SA. ERC have developed and are using the latest and quickest testing system which tests for both AHS and EEV at the same time, as well as identifies the strain (serotype). However it is still only OVI-ARC (part of DAFF) who are the 'Official Reference Centre' for the OIE and used to do all the testing, still do now, but getting results from them takes much longer, they do not test for EEV as well, nor do they identify the strain, unless specifically requested to do so. OVI-ARC are also responsible for informing DAFF of all AHS cases, but recently I was told in a letter from them that "they only have to report cases which occur in the WC Control Zone!", which I find totally unacceptable. They are the original Department of Agriculture 'research institute for livestock', the top AHS Entomologists work from there and they have done more research on AHS than any other institute, except not over the last 10 to 15 years simply because they are just never allocated funding for AHS Research. Then there is the AHS Trust which was set up 7 years ago and was supposed to be the 'official website' for Early Warning, Stats and a Map to see where outbreaks are occurring. They are also funded by Racing SA and although we believed for a few years they were set up to help horse owners and collect data for "critical research" there has been no feedvack whatsoever to date and it seems now they are just another 'face' for Racing SA and definitely not updating their website, or communicating with horses owners. In my opinion I would guess ERC combined with Racing SA have more 'control over test results and stats' than anyone else?

Four different Role Players described above, all of which seem to support the Racing and Export Market, but ignore the entire rest of the country!:confused:
 
:confused:The above post is confusing ,

:mad:To sum it up (regardless of funding &,&,&) they are all state owned and there is no independance. The state makes the vaccine and the state tests the results and the state reports to the OIE.

:mad:Now who would think that there is a cover-up??

:mad:The vaccines drive HUGE revenue and the State wants to keep it that way. And as for imports and exports ...well that also dirives huge revenue/
 
The African Horse Sickness Trust website--the so called ''early warning system'' has been asleep since mid April
The internet has recorded many cases since then
Even the case at Clairwood mentioned by leading racehorse trainer Mike de Kock has not been added

Difficult not to be suspicious when South Africa were looking to the OIE to make it easier to export

http://www.africanhorsesickness.co.za/view_news_item.asp?Type=Link&NewsID=62

You may find the news article of interest--the Shadow Minister for Agriculture raising the point that the Government produced vaccines for AHS and also Rift Valley Fever no longer seem to be effective
 
AHS-Equilink you can get as technical as you like . The bottom line stays the same. OBP is a privately owned company - privately owned by the state.How does that make them different than the state? They might all be called different names and different departments - still remains the same thing and the same people responsible.It's all just window dressing. AHS911 you are 100% spot on.
 
Cuffey the AHS Trust are funded by - Racing SA. Equine Research Centre (ERC) are in a big way funded by - Racing SA. ERC does the testing of samples. Who benefits from export bans lifted when we have no/few positive results - Racing SA. Come on people - surely anybody can connect the dots.
 
Sacred Horse you have it right, ERC are not 'state owned or funded' as AHS 911 says, they are private, separate and completely independent from OBP and OVI-ARC and starting to do most of the testing. They are funded by Racing SA. Yes ERC, Racing SA and the AHS Trust are tied up tightly together and have the same focus (WC Export Zone). ERC also benefits from export of horses and from every TB micro-chipped. Gibson also also runs the 'Import Export Working Group'. They do however seem to have major influence with the 'Powers that Be' in DAFF and Peter Gibson CEO of Racing SA always uses the words "the SA Horse Industry" in his press releases, making it sound as though the whole lot of us are on their side, they talk on 'our behalf'!

AHS 911 my post above is not meant to be 'technical' or 'confusing' but trying to explain exactly who the Role Players are and which are 'state owned' etc. Many people are still very confused about all this, especially since two different labs are doing the testing now ... but actually not connected with each other - also a bad thing - and this is what seems to confuse people.:(
 
This is what The.horse.com has to say about the updated OIE rules for African Horse Sickness--they will not apply until 2013

http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=20194
Extract
African horse sickness (AHS) is now one of the four animal diseases--and the only equine disease--for which countries can request a recognition status from the World Animal Health Organization (OIE). The new regulation was adopted during the OIE's general assembly in late May.

According to an OIE spokesman, the new regulation allows member nations to request an official disease status label for their countries. Countries without animals affected by the disease can be officially declared AHS-free, and those with affected animals can be recognized for their "transparency" with regard to reporting the disease, said an OIE spokesman.

"A country may either lose or enhance its commercial attractiveness in the eyes of potential or existing importing partners, depending on official recognition of its disease status," the OIE said in an online report. "By acquiring and maintaining its official status, a country also demonstrates transparency and helps to promote animal health and public health worldwide, thereby gaining the trust of its partners and of the international community."

The OIE will not, however, give countries AHS status automatically. Individual nations must apply for the recognition by submitting a thorough dossier documenting, among other things, the disease's history within the country. The OIE grants status labels only during the annual general assembly each May.

Contrary to other reports in circulation that were not published by the OIE, no member nations have been granted AHS recognition status yet, the OIE spokesman said. AHS recognition status will not be available until 2013.
 
Cuffy this is a great link and explains very well what the current situation is and it also explains that certain people "jumped the gun" in the Press Statements! However this is where the huge question mark comes and I would very much like to see a direct answer from the OIE in this regard - they refer in this statement above to "a country", but it seems to be very obvious that in the case of South Africa, they are considering the Western Cape Control Zone as a country? So are the OIE only going to be requesting from SA, the information they need on the "disease history, status, control etc" for the WC Control Zone and what happens in the entire country does not count? Unbelievable if this is the case ... when SA is quite clearly the worst effected by AHS in the entire world ... and they may very well have "AHS under control" in this specific small zone of the country, but it is totally "out of control" everywhere else. What they keep failing to highlight as well, is that there is currently NO effective "enough" vaccine in case of emergency - an unexpected outbreak in Europe? By the way Italy has been identified as a "high risk" country, maybe that is why the Italians have already started working on their own vaccine? Do the OIE only communicate with the 'High Powers" by the way, because I have sent them 2 letters and left a post as well as a message on their FB page, but not a word in response?
 
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