Boehringer Ingelheim launches a tool to aid in the prevention of African swine fever

Ingelheim, Germany, 17 December 2018 – Boehringer Ingelheim has developed ASF COMBAT (ASF Comprehensive Online Management and Biosecurity Assessment Tool). This tool enables pig producers to evaluate areas for biosecurity improvement on their farms by completing a short questionnaire based on ASF virus scientific literature and practical experience, intended to help reducing the ASF introduction risk level.

ASF is a devastating viral infection of swine causing severe clinical disease and high mortality. The disease cannot be treated and currently no effective vaccines are available. ASF does not affect humans.

On a daily basis, pig farms are facing multiple types of biosecurity risks, but some of them remain unnoticed. If a farm is located in an ASF affected area, the risk of new virus introduction increases but all farms need to be prepared and understand the risks they face. In order to be able to reduce the risk of ASF virus introductions, and increase disease resilience, management and pig flow become even more crucial. With ASF COMBAT, improved biosecurity, pig flow, management and feeding practices are facilitated by highlighting the most important risk areas related to ASF introduction, which the tool evaluates:

• Animals - ASF virus spreads by direct contact, and live animals can carry the virus.
• Transport - vehicles that have carried infected pigs can be a risk to other farms because ASF virus is highly resistant in the environment.
• People - how farm staff behaves can affect the risk profile of the farm.
• Management - the daily routines on the farm are critical in the prevention of ASF entering the herd.
• Feeding - ASF virus can stay infective in kitchen scraps, catering waste or food leftovers contaminated with infected pork.
• Location - proximity to infected swine, wild boar can pose serious risk that need to be understood.

The purpose of this easy-to-use tool is to assist in identifying potential areas for improvement, but it is not intended to replace the advice of a veterinarian or health authorities.

“This app is another example of our commitment to focus on prevention and to continue developing as well as offering new innovative solutions and tools to help control swine diseases,” shares Dr. Oliver Gomez-Duran, Head of Technical, Strategic Business Unit Swine.

ASF COMBAT can be accessed online on this website or downloaded as an app from Apple Store or Google Play.

Boehringer Ingelheim

Improving the health and quality of life of patients is the goal of the research-driven pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim. The focus in doing so is on diseases for which no satisfactory treatment option exists to date. The company therefore concentrates on developing innovative therapies that can extend patients’ lives. In animal health, Boehringer Ingelheim stands for advanced prevention.

Family-owned since it was established in 1885, Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the pharmaceutical industry’s top 20 companies. Some 50,000 employees create value through innovation daily for the three business areas human pharmaceuticals, animal health and biopharmaceuticals. In 2017, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of nearly 18.1 billion euros. R&D expenditure, exceeding three billion euros, corresponded to 17.0 per cent of net sales.

As a family-owned company, Boehringer Ingelheim plans in generations and focuses on long-term success, rather than short-term profit. The company therefore aims at organic growth from its own resources with simultaneous openness to partnerships and strategic alliances in research. In everything it does, Boehringer Ingelheim naturally adopts responsibility towards mankind and the environment.

More information about Boehringer Ingelheim can be found on www.boehringer-ingelheim.com or in our Annual Report.

Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Business Unit

Boehringer Ingelheim is the second largest animal health business in the world. We are committed to creating animal wellbeing through our large portfolio of advanced, preventive healthcare products and services. With net sales of 3.9 billion euros (2017) and around 10,000 employees worldwide, we are present in more than 150 markets. For more information click here.

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This press release is issued from our Corporate Headquarters in Ingelheim, Germany and is intended to provide information about our global business. Please be aware that information relating to the approval status and labels of approved products may vary from country to country, and a country-specific press release on this topic may have been issued in the countries where we do business.