The research laboratory that has pioneered snake antivenom made from camel blood is soon to take on exotic animal diseases as it increases its own vaccine producing ability, it has been disclosed.
"With 20 years of diagnostic and research work, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) has been able to isolate strains of bacterial and viral diseases indigenous to this area.
"This will enable the new vaccine to produce vaccines of a higher efficacy than those produced in the US and Europe," said Renate Wernery, a virologist at Dubai's CVRL.
The local facility has signed an agreement for scientific and technical co-operation with Impfstoffwerk Dessau (IDT), a long-established vaccine producing pharmaceutical company in Germany.
The agreement will see the CVRL gain access to German technology, new vaccine strains, as well as marketready vaccines.
"The IDT has extensive experience in development, manufacturing and licensing of veterinary vaccines accord ing to European regulations.
"It already develops and manufactures veterinary vaccines that are licensed in many countries around the world.
"The CVRL has gained comprehensive experience for diagnosis and eradication of tropical infectious diseases in the UAE and other countries and has already developed and manufactured a range of veterinary vaccines that are presently in use," Wernery explained.
The agreement is part of the CVRL's recent push to set up its own state of the art vaccine production facility in the UAE to improve the development and production of vac cines, and make available a constant supply of them to the local market and throughout the region.
The viruses common to the Middle East region that are to be tackled by the new technology affect livestock and birds including camels, sheep, goats, falcons, pigeons and quails.
The CVRL made headlines around the region recently for pioneering a new type of antivenom for Africa and the Middle East's deadliest snakes, using the blood of camels.
The serum is expected to be as effective as the current anti-venoms in the market made from horse blood.
It is far less likely to cause the occasional life-threatening allergic reaction that sometimes occurs when snake-bite victims are administered the usual anti-venom serum.
The CVRL was founded by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in 1985.
It operates as a government diagnostic centre for veterinary health. Research, training, development and adoption of new vaccines have always been a part of its activities. These activities are expected to be better realised through the new agreement.
By Zarina Khan
© Emirates Today 2007
