The Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to start the rollout of the country’s first vaccine against avian influenza (AI), also known as bird flu, following the approval of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its commercial use.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel announced that the FDA has approved of Volvac BEST AI + ND, which is developed by German pharmaceutical firm Boehringer Ingelheim.

“With the FDA’s approval…the poultry sector now has a strong line of defense against a virus that threatens both food security and human health,” he said, noting its importance to the government’s food security efforts.

Tiu Laurel said the vaccine is a major boost to the poultry industry as it not only provides immunity against the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) subtype H5N1 but also stimulates the bird’s immune system to defend against velogenic Newcastle disease.

According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), the HPAI is a highly contagious viral disease that affects both domestic and wild birds.

The virus can spread through direct contact with secretions from infected birds through feces and contaminated feed and water.

The H5N1, according to the DA, is the most aggressive subtype of the bird flu virus, primarily causing high mortality rates in chickens. It is also zoonotic, meaning it can be transmitted to humans and other animals.

Meanwhile, velogenic Newcastle disease is the most severe form of Newcastle disease (ND), affecting a wide range of bird species, especially domestic poultry.

BEST, which stands for Baculovirus Expression System Technology, is used for the large-scale production of biologically active and functional recombinant proteins.

Boehringer Ingelheim said this was used to engineer a recombinant vaccine technology to provide protection against AI and ND.

The DA said Volvac BEST AI + ND is administered by injection, either into the bird’s chest muscle or into subcutaneous fat.

The vaccine is given when the bird is at least 10 days old, with most first-time vaccinations taking 10 to 14 days for full immunity to develop.

In a 2023 memorandum circular, the DA outlined the types of poultry that are eligible for the commercial use of a bird flu vaccine, which includes commercial layer chickens, layer chicken breeders, broiler chicken breeders, free-range breeders, grandparent broiler breeders, small-hold layer or native chickens, ducks, game fowls, turkeys, and geese.

Avian species deemed ineligible include commercial broiler chicken, small-hold broiler, quail, pigeon, and exotic birds.

Last year, Tiu Laurel said his agency is seeking a budget of ₱300 million to purchase up to 30 million doses of vaccines against the bird flu.

Under the “special provisions” of the DA’s proposed budget for next year, the agency is permitted to resort to the emergency purchase of goods for the cure and prevention of animal disease outbreaks.

According to the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), 53 municipalities across nine provinces remain affected by the bird flu.

BAI said the most recent recorded HPAI case was on April 30.