This is the first licensed vaccine for PEDv and is intended to protect the piglets against the virus. It will be used to vaccinate sows with the intent that they build antibody, and transmit that antibody through their milk to newborn piglets.
Although PEDv does not affect humans or pork safety, it has infected and killed millions of piglets on farms of all sizes in 27 US states since May 2013 and in four Canadian provinces since January this year.
APHIS said conditional licenses are issued based on full safety, purity testing, and an expectation of efficacy.
"Preliminary studies have been promising, and they’ve shown sufficient data that we think the vaccine will be effective. The company will continue working toward completing the requirements for a full license. In the meantime, there are no restrictions on vaccine use under the conditional license," said the USDA agency.