The Norwegian Food Safety Authority change their regulations to allow vaccination of horses against equine strangles
In Norway it has not been allowed previously to vaccinate horses against strangles (infection caused by the bacterium Streptococcus equi). However, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority has now announced that the ban on vaccinating horses against equine strangles has been removed.
“Strangvac, Intervacc's vaccine against equine strangles, was approved in the autumn of 2021 for sale in Norway based on the European Medicines Agency's, EMA’s, recommendation. The change that the Norwegian Food Safety Authority has now implemented makes it possible for horses to be vaccinated against equine strangles in Norway. Our interpretation is that the change was implemented in response to Strangvac being approved and that the Norwegian Food Safety Authority made the assessment that vaccination with Strangvac is a new and welcome tool in the fight against equine strangles," says Andreas Andersson, Chief Executive Officer of Intervacc.
“It is really positive that the Norwegian authority has implemented this rule change and the timing is perfect as we have started to sell Strangvac in Sweden. Strangles outbreaks are common in Norway and we have begun the process of making the vaccine available to Norwegian veterinarians as soon as possible. However, with the change in the rules, Norwegian veterinarians can now bring in Strangvac from Sweden via license,” says Hege Drangsholt, who is Intervacc's country manager in Denmark and product specialist.
Hege is a trained equine nurse who has lived and worked in Denmark for many years but is originally from Norway. “I have worked with horses, healthcare and medicines for animals for many years, both in Denmark and in Norway. It is really important to me to be able to help our Norwegian veterinarians and horse owners in the fight against equine strangles,” Hege continues.
Strangvac is approved for sale and marketing throughout the EU and the UK, as well as the EEA countries Norway and Iceland. Strangvac is available in Sweden and will now be gradually introduced to the rest of the Nordic region and Europe.
Strangles Awareness Week, an international campaign to raise awareness of strangles and how the disease can be prevented is currently underway. The campaign, called “Stoppa Kvarkan” is also taking place in Sweden. Read more about the Swedish campaign at sva.se/stoppakvarkan or the English campaign on Redwing's campaign page redwings.org.uk/strangles/strangles-awareness-week.
For more information please contact:
Andreas Andersson, CEO
Phone: +46-8-120 10 601, cell +46-73-335 99 70
E-mail: andreas.andersson@intervacc.com
About Intervacc
Intervacc AB is a Swedish company within animal health developing safe, effective vaccines for animals. The Company's vaccine candidates are based on several years of research at Karolinska Institutet and Swedish University of Agricultural Research where the foundation was laid for the Company´s research and development work. The Intervacc share has been listed on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market since April 2017 with Eminova Fondkommission AB, adviser@eminova.se, +46 (0)8–684 211 10 as Certified Adviser.
About equine strangles
Equine strangles, caused by Streptococcus equi, is the most frequently diagnosed infectious disease of horses, and affects horses all over the world with one exception Iceland where the import of horses is prohibited. Streptococcus equi invades the lymph nodes of head and neck, causing them to swell and form abscesses that can literally strangle, in around 2% of cases, the horse to death. Some of the horses that recover from strangles remain persistently infected. These apparently healthy animals shed bacteria into the environment and spread the disease to other horses with which they come into contact.
