Harrisvaccines, housed in the ISU Research Park, is helping fight avian influenza and its work has recently been recognized by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Harrisvaccines has been granted a conditional license from the USDA for the company’s avian influenza vaccine. This is the first conditional license for the avian influenza that has killed more than 48 million birds since the spring of 2015.

A conditional license is used to deal with emergencies or when no vaccines are available. The product must show an expectation of efficacy, safety and potency.

Harrisvaccines received a conditional license in 2014 for a porcine epidemic diarrhea vaccine. Joel Harris, head of sales and marketing for Harrisvaccines, said this helped put the company on the “fast track for approval” this time around.

Harrisvaccines had already been through similar procedures from a previous year and easily met the criteria.

Although the vaccine cannot be sold until it receives authorization from the USDA, a vaccine stockpile has been created.

“The USDA doesn’t know if [it] will use it,” said Dr. James Roth, distinguished professor in vet microbiology and preventive medicine. “The virus is gone, but it might come back in fall.”

If needed, the conditional license would allow an immediate USDA licensed product to be available on the market.

SirraVax, the technology used to create the vaccine, is unique and efficient. It uses a synthetic version of the virus’ genetic code to make the vaccine.

“This is a further validation of the power of technology,” Harris said in regard to SirraVax.

Harris added that the licensing is a big step in terms of the poultry industry. The ability to vaccinate quickly is essential, especially after seeing the effects of last year’s outbreak.

Harrisvaccines was formed in 2005 and has a USDA-licensed production facility located in the ISU Research Park.