Intervet/Schering-Plough grants Novartis rights to vaccine patents

Intervet/Schering-Plough has agreed to provide Novartis Animal Health with rights to develop new pancreas disease (PD) vaccines for fish based on its patents.

The agreement gives Novartis access to part of the company's patent portfolio for the disease, which has previously formed the basis for Intervet/Schering-Plough's own vaccine Norvax Compact PD, launched in 2008.

Novartis' product will provide an additional treatment option for salmon producers in the UK, Ireland and Norway to cope with PD, a complex and serious condition that has gained prominence in the last five years.

Hank Behrend, head of the global aquatic animal business for Intervet/Schering-Plough, conceded that Novartis' drug will be a competitor to Norvax, but maintained that its introduction is necessary to meet the needs of the sector.

He explained: "Both products offer unique features and benefits for the salmon industry. We are pleased to enable Novartis to provide the industry with another tool for managing this disease."

This comes after Intervet/Schering-Plough began a trial of a new vaccine for the bacterial infection Rhodococcus equi last month.