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Expertise in Emergency and Exotic Animal Diseases

Boehringer Ingelheim plays a key role in helping Australia and New Zealand’s thriving agriculture sectors remain free from Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD); one of the worst animal diseases endemic to other parts of the world. Globally, we partner with governments, farmers, and vets on biosecurity to protect these vital industries and the individuals and communities that rely on them.

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We are a global leader in Emergency and Exotic Animal Disease (EEAD) research and FMD vaccine development, antigen banks, and vaccine manufacturing, with over 70 years’ experience. Because of this, we are entrusted by the governments of Australia, New Zealand, and over a dozen other countries to supply strategic antigen reserves for the manufacture of FMD vaccines.

Boehringer Ingelheim’s FMD vaccines are formulated to be DIVA—"Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals." This means that diagnostic tests can distinguish whether an animal's immune response comes from a vaccine or from disease infection. The distinction is critical in monitoring an outbreak and returning a country to "FMD-free" status.

We invested $642 million into Animal Health R&D in 2021, including work in cutting-edge vaccines for a range of EEADs. Because these diseases are unique, there’s no one-size-fits-all vaccine solution. Therefore, our research spans across multiple technology platforms to find the most effective, and safe solutions that can be mass-produced to meet the world’s needs.

Veterinary Public Health

Our Veterinary Public Health (VPH) team is a trusted partner of health authorities, governments and non-governmental organisations around the world, including the World Organisation for Animal Health and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation. Transboundary EEADs don’t stop at the border, so we work within the region to assist governments in managing outbreaks to help lower the risk to Australia and New Zealand. Boehringer Ingelheim was the first company to supply emergency vaccines to Indonesia and our experts provided technical support to assist Indonesia in managing its FMD outbreak in its crucial early weeks.

The risks of EEADs will never go away, and new threats are ever emerging. Because we think in generations, we are committed to continue innovating in EEADs and strengthening our capability to supply countries around the world. With a $460 million investment in a new state-of-the art large scale vaccine manufacturing facility due to come online in 2025, we are ready for the future.