The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine announced last week the establishment of four animal and veterinary innovation centres that have received funding for work to advance regulatory science and develop innovative products and approaches to better support animal health and veterinary interventions. These centres are expected to further the goals outlined in the FDA’s Animal and Veterinary Innovation Agenda, which describes the agency’s plan to spur innovation to better protect human and animal health.
The three areas for the animal and veterinary innovation centres to focus on are:
- Highly pathogenic avian influenza and emerging zoonotic disease threats or One Health issues;
- Intentional genomic alterations in animals and the advancement of regulatory science in this field, with a focus on intentional genomic alterations that support agricultural resilience, food security, animal health, or public health; and
- Unmet veterinary medical needs in both minor and major species that create a significant animal or public health burden.
The four recipients of funding are listed below, as described in their proposals:
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, for research to explore the development of genome-edited chicken to reduce susceptibility or provide resistance to highly pathogenic avian influenza and other avian viruses by genetically targeting pro-viral host factors, antiviral proteins, or viral genes.
- University of California at Davis, for work on intentional genomic alterations in major livestock species to advance the use of gene editing technologies in food animals, while generating and sharing both phenotypic and bioinformatic data to support a science-based approach to the regulation of such alterations in food animals.
- Kansas State University, for work to develop models which reliably and consistently evaluate the efficacy of analgesics in food animals in support of new drug approvals. This work supports pain relief in pigs, goats, and cattle for painful diseases or surgical pain.
- University of Arkansas, for work to determine the infectivity and formation of cyst-like Histomonas meleagridis, the causative agent of blackhead disease in turkeys, in vitro and in vivo; identify the cellular pathways mediating encystation in H. meleagridis; and screen and assess potent inhibitors against encystation of H. meleagridis in vitro and in vivo.
In a press release, the FDA said the partnerships were chosen through a competitive cooperative agreement process to establish the centres and to address critical animal, human, or environmental health needs in one or more priority areas.
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Funding is renewable up to four years pending suitable progress and availability of funds, the FDA said. The agency’s Notice of Funding Opportunity will remain open for other application opportunities. The Center for Veterinary Medicine intends to work with Congress and partners to expand this new initiative to support robust innovation in the animal and veterinary medical sectors, the FDA added.
