Australian government and horse industry representatives have authorized the use of Merial’s vaccine ProteqFlu as part of the emergency response plan to contain and eradicate equine influenza. The vaccine will only be used in buffer zones created around areas with high concentrations of infected horses in New South Wales and Queensland.

At the request of the National Management Group, comprising the Chief Executive Officers of the Commonwealth and state/territory departments of agriculture/primary industries across Australia and the heads of the bodies representing the horse industries, Merial collaborated closely with Australian regulatory agencies to enable the provision of permits for the emergency use of ProteqFlu.

The emergency authorization now in place requires that supply and use of the vaccine be entirely under the direction of the Chief Veterinary Officers in New South Wales or Queensland. The vaccine is not available for sale to horse owners.

ProteqFlu has been developed using innovative recombinant technology to produce a vaccine that has the efficacy of a live vaccine, but with the safety of an inactivated vaccine