July 24 2018 01:46 PM

SRP® technology supports mastitis prevention, reduces need for antibiotics

The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoard’s Dairyman.
AgriLabs® today announced the commercialization of KLEBVax™ SRP®, the first vaccine licensed for dairy cattle to prevent mastitis caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae. KLEBVax SRP, which features Siderophore Receptor and Porin (SRP) technology, gives veterinarians and producers anew tool to prevent disease and reduce antibiotic use.

A similar vaccine using Klebsiella SRP bacterial extract was previously offered as an autogenous product by AgriLabs in partnership with Epitopix®.

Klebsiella is a widespread pathogen that has been difficult to prevent in dairy operations and has cost producers significant losses,” says Sean O’Hare, executive vice president for AgriLabs. “We are excited to offer KLEBVax SRP to veterinarians and dairy producers as a new management tool to reduce the incidence of Klebsiella mastitis. As a vaccine, KLEBVax SRP will provide an alternative to antibiotics and help shift the focus from treatment to prevention.”

In fact, in a field study, KLEBVax SRPreduced incidence of infection within 90 days of calving by 71 percent versus a placebo.

Starving Bacteria of Needed Nutrients

Gram-negative bacteria such as Klebsiella require iron for growth and survival. Using SRP technology, KLEBVax activates the animal’s immune system to produce antibodies that bind and block the transfer of iron through bacterial cell wall porins, starving the bacteria of needed nutrients.

“The unique process of the SRP technology makes it well-suited for the challenges associated with disease-causing bacteria such as Klebsiella,” says Jim Sandstrom, DVM, managing director of Epitopix, LLC. “With several years of field experience with autogenous Klebsiella SRP vaccines, we are confident the new KLEBVax SRP product will help dairy veterinarians and producers manage mastitis infections caused by Klebsiella.”

About AgriLabs:

AgriLabs®, a member of the Huvepharma® group of companies, is a leader in biological innovation for animal health in the United States. Through a product range that includes licensed and custom vaccines, proprietary DNA platform and adjuvant technologies, and other leading brands, AgriLabs is improving animal health, nutrition and productivity. For more information, visit agrilabs.com.

About Epitopix:

Epitopix is a Vaxxinova company, the global vaccine affiliate of the EW Group. For more information about SRP technology, please visit epitopix.com. For more information about Vaxxinova, visit vaxxinova.com.