How are custom vaccines produced?

Custom vaccines are manufactured for specific herds, after a specific bacteria or virus has been identified as the cause of disease. Although the process is very efficient and quick, certain steps must be followed.

1. A veterinarian who has a veterinarian-client-patient relationship in place must be involved.
     
2. The veterinarian takes a sample from an infected animal. (Novartis can provide veterinarians with a complete diagnostic and sampling packet.)
     
3. The sample is sent to a diagnostic lab to identify the specific organism causing disease. This can be a university laboratory or one owned by a manufacturer. (Novartis has its own diagnostic laboratory.)
     
4. Cultures containing the organism are then used to produce antigens against the specific bacteria, viruses or other organism causing disease.
     
5. The antigens are then formulated into a vaccine by a licensed custom-vaccine manufacturer. Only a few major companies produce custom vaccines. Novartis Animal Health is the only major biologic company focusing on both custom and commercial vaccines to best meet the needs of your operation. Novartis is licensed to produce bacterins, virus vaccines, bacterin-virus vaccine combinations, protozoa vaccines, wart vaccines and others.
     
6. The vaccine is tested for safety and purity.
     
7. The vaccine is delivered to the veterinarian, usually within 4-6 weeks from the time of diagnosis.
     
8. In some instances, USDA may allow other herds, either adjacent or non-adjacent to the infected herd, to also use the vaccine if disease risk is high.