ICAR-NRC on Equines’ developed Vaccine & Kits released

9^th June, 2022, New Delhi

“The Council’s scientists’ unparalleled contributions have made the country succeed not only in essential crops’ production; but, in the various fields of agricultural and allied sciences as well at the global level”, said Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare. Shri Tomar was addressing the Releasing Ceremony of Animal Vaccine and other Diagnostic Kits developed by the ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines, Hisar, Haryana held at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi here today. “It is due to the untiring contributions of Scientists that the country stands self-reliant in developing its own Vaccines more rather than importing. This is really a big achievement”, stated the Union Minister.

The Ancovax Vaccine developed by the ICAR-NRC on Equines is an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Delta (COVID-19) Vaccine for Animals. The immunity induced by Ancovax neutralizes both Delta and Omicron Variants of SARS-CoV-2. The CAN-CoV-2 ELISA Kit is sensitive and specific nucleocapsid protein based indirect ELISA Kit for antibody detection against SARS-CoV-2 in Canines. The Surra ELISA Kit is a suitable Diagnostic Assay for Trypanosoma evansi infection in multiple animal species. The Equine DNA Parentage Testing Kit is a powerful genomic technology for parentage analysis.

Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR) asserted on the Council’s commitment to disseminate the various technologies developed by its Scientists at the farmers’ doorsteps. This will help to realize the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of the Lab-to-Land initiative.

Shri Atul Chaturvedi, Secretary (Animal Husbandry and Dairying), Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying stressed that the new technologies and Vaccines developed by the Institute will help in early diagnosing and containing the spread of the various diseases in livestock. Shri Chaturvedi also accentuated that the Kits will enable to identify the DNAs of the particular Equines with their parents.

Earlier, Dr. Bhupendra Nath Tripathi, Deputy Director General (Animal Science), ICAR underlined the characteristics and features of the newly developed Vaccines and Kits by the Institute. Highlighting the Vaccine - Ancovax developed by the ICAR-NRC on Equines, Hisar, Dr. Tripathi accentuated on the Vaccines’ characteristics to detect and combat the Delta and Omicron variants of COVID-19.

Dr. Ashok Kumar, ADG (Animal Science), ICAR proposed the vote of thanks.

(Source: ICAR-Directorate of Knowledge Management in Agriculture, New Delhi)