Pfizer Animal Health furthered its commitment to safe food from cattle by announcing a global licensing agreement with Epitopix that will expand access to its conditionally licensed Escherichia Coli Bacterial Extract vaccine to US cattle producers this fall.

"Pfizer Animal Health supports cattle producers' continuing strides against harmful bacteria, often the most frequent causes of food borne illnesses in people," said Juan Ramón Alaix, president, Pfizer Animal Health. "We want more cattle producers to benefit from this important vaccine to help reduce the prevalence and shedding of E. coli."

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) granted a conditional license last year to Epitopix for this first and only Escherichia Coli Bacterial Extract vaccine available in the US. It is labelled for use in cattle to help reduce the prevalence of E. coli O157 in cattle and feces. This helps to minimize E. coli exposure and infection of herd-mates.

As part of its licensing agreement, Pfizer Animal Health also acquired global rights to Epitopix' conditionally licensed Salmonella Newport bacterial extract vaccine. Currently available in the US from Agri Laboratories, Ltd., of St. Joseph, Missouri under a USDA conditional license, it will become an exclusive part of Pfizer Animal Health's livestock portfolio in the US beginning in 2011.

Pfizer Animal Health and Epitopix will conduct additional potency and efficacy studies on both vaccines to secure a full license for each from the USDA. Terms of the global licensing agreement were not disclosed.

"The R&D strength, global reach, and marketing expertise of Pfizer Animal Health make it an ideal partner for Epitopix," said Epitopix general manager Jim Sandstrom. "By working in close cooperation, our mutual aim is to quickly broaden the availability of these important vaccines to the beef and dairy industries, as part of Pfizer Animal Health's comprehensive portfolio of cattle products and services."

The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates approximately 70,000 cases occur in people annually. However, the CDC acknowledges that most cases of E. coli O157 go unreported. The symptoms of E. coli O157 infections vary for each person but often include severe stomach cramps, diarrhoea (often bloody), and vomiting. If there is fever, it usually is not very high (less than 101°F/less than 38.5°C). Most people get better within 5-7 days. Some infections are very mild, but others are severe or even life-threatening.

Epitopix LLC was founded in 2002 as an affiliate of Willmar Poultry Company, a subsidiary of Life-Science Innovations headquartered in Willmar, Minn. at the MinnWest Technology Campus, a 110 acre privately-owned technology business park. The mission of Epitopix is to provide the food animal industry with novel bacterial vaccines with the potential to be more broadly cross-protective and safer than conventional whole-cell bacterins or live bacterial vaccines.