New Delhi: Arsh Biotech Pvt Ltd, The Indian Project Directorate of Foot-and-Mouth-Disease (PDFMD) and Agrinnovate India Ltd (AgIn)have signed a joint agreement for commercializing novel indigenously developed technology thathelps to differentiate FMD infected from vaccinated animals. The technology has been developed by Indian researchers in aProject Directorate on Foot and Mouth Disease, Mukteshwar.
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a major livestock disease of transboundary importance, affecting cloven-hoofed animals. It is a very significant economic disease due to its ability to spread very rapidly and its profound effect on productivity. Even a very small quantity of the virus is capable of infecting an animal, and the disease could spread rapidly throughout the country if it is not controlled quickly. It is estimated that the annual direct economic loss due to FMD in India alone is around Rs. 20,000 crores. The determination of the percentage of animal population infected with the FMD virus is crucial for the National FMD control programme. This is dependent on on the ability to distinguish these animals from vaccinated animals, which also carry antibodies against the FMD virus due to vaccination.
ArshBio will commercialize the knowhow developed by researchers at PDFMD and this will contribute significantly to National FMD control programme of Government of India. The collaboration would be helpful to meet the diagnostic requirements of the country. The Alliance also provides a forum in which current research and future plans canbe discussed in an environment of trust and confidentiality for developing new tools to assist the control and eventual eradication of the disease.
Mr. Rajan Sahni, Managing Director, Arsh Biotech Pvt ltd says "It will be our committed endeavour to deliver a world class presentation to PDFMD's technology and finish the productsin the most "consumer friendly manner" as the nation talks of 'MAKE IN INDIA' as its mission."
Dr S Ayyappan, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR) chaired the meeting. Dr S.S Honnappagol, Animal Husbandry Commissioner, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (AH&D), Dr KML Pathak, Deputy Director General (Animal Sciences), Shri Gaya Prasad, Assistant Director General (Animal Health), Dr. S Mauria, Assistant Director General (IP & TM), Dr. B Pattnaik, Project Director, PDFMD were also present.