To stay ahead on porcine circovirus associated disease management, Boehringer Ingelheim has launched the swine industry's first porcine circovirus Type 2d-based baculovirus vector vaccine. The new vaccine, d-FENSE, demonstrates efficacy and robustness under severe PCVAD conditions.

Having first been identified in 2012, today PCV2d is the predominant genotype circulating in the United States, accounting for more than 90% of PCV2 infections.^1–3

An extensive body of research has demonstrated that Ingelvac CircoFLEX, a PCV2a-based vaccine, can provide heterologous cross-protection against PCV2d.^1,4­–7 In most cases, producers can rely on this trusted vaccine to protect their herds from the harmful effects of PCVAD. However, in certain situations, some pigs within vaccinated herds will still present clinical signs of PCVAD and require a different approach. d-FENSE is specifically designed to help swine herds that are struggling with severe PCVAD presentations.

"When severe PCV2d infections linger in the 'corners of the room' among vaccinated populations, producers need flexible options to address this and provide their herds with complete protection," says Eduardo Fano, technical manager for PCV2 and Mycoplasma Products at Boehringer Ingelheim. "d-FENSE offers the industry's first solution specific to the PCV2d strain and provides producers and veterinarians another tool in their PCVAD management toolbox."

d-FENSE is a single-dose PCV2 vaccine, used for the vaccination of healthy, susceptible pigs 3 weeks of age or older as an aid in the prevention of lymphoid depletion, inflammation and colonization of lymphoid tissue, and as an aid in reduction of the magnitude of viremia associated with PCV2. In addition, d-FENSE utilizes the proprietary ImpranFLEX adjuvant, an aqueous-based (non-oil) polymer adjuvant that improves the immune response within pig, delivering faster, longer-lasting disease protection.

The vaccine's efficacy was demonstrated in a vaccination-challenge study that compared pigs separated into three groups: non-vaccinated controls, pigs receiving INGELVAC CIRCOFLEX, a PCV2a-based vaccine, and pigs receiving d-FENSE, a PCV2d-based vaccine. In the study, which replicated worst-case PCVAD field conditions, pigs vaccinated with d-FENSE and INGELVAC CIRCOFLEX both demonstrated a significant reduction in lymphoid lesion severity and viral replication compared to non-vaccinated pigs. In terms of robustness, the d-FENSE group demonstrated improvement in pathology and virology parameters under a severe disease challenge. In the same study, which involved both viral and bacterial challenges, pigs vaccinated with d-FENSE required fewer treatments in the acute phase of PCVAD.⁸

"Dynamic problems require dynamic solutions," says John Waddell, director, Key Account Veterinarians, Swine at Boehringer Ingelheim. "PCV2 isn't standing pat, so neither should our approach to controlling it. With d-FENSE, Boehringer Ingelheim is helping producers tackle this complex disease with confidence."

For more information, visit the SwineResource site or contact your Boehringer Ingelheim representative.

References
¹ Payne B, Jacobs, Dvorak C, et al. PCV2 vaccine cross-protection: Identification of sequences in successfully vaccinated field cases, in Proceedings. AASV Annual Meeting 2016;202–206. 
² Franzo G, Cortey M, Segalés J, et al. Phylodynamic analysis of porcine circovirus Type 2 reveals global waves of emerging genotypes and the circulation of recombinant forms. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2016;100:269–280. 
³ Schwartz KJ, personal communication.
⁴ Fano E, Schaefer N, Schmaling E, et al. Comparison of efficacy between two PCV2 vaccination protocols under PCV2d field exposure, in Proceedings. AASV Annu Meet 2017;95–97. 
⁵ Fano E et al. Comparison of efficacy between two PCV2 vaccines under PCV2d experimental exposure, in Proceedings. AASV 2021. 
⁶ Philips R, Fano E, Schmaling E, Edler R. A severe PRDC challenge and the effect of a trivalent PRDC vaccine for PCV2, Mhp and PRRS. Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., Health Management Center (HMC), Field Research Services. 2018. 
⁷ Friedrich R, Patterson AR, Johnson W, et al. Efficacy of porcine circovirus Type 2a– and 2d– based vaccines following PCV2 challenge. J Vaccines Vaccination 2019;10(2):1–5. 
⁸ Fano E et al. Exploring the efficacy of a PCV2d-based vaccine under current severe PCVAD conditions, in Proceedings. AASV 2022.

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