Specialist Advice (Regulatory and Commercial) on the Development of TB Vaccines

Bovine TB is one of GB's biggest endemic animal health issues, costing the taxpayer more than £100m a year. Over 28,000 cattle were slaughtered for TB control in England in 2015. Vaccination of either cattle or wildlife is an important long-term policy option for reducing the risk of bovine TB in England. As such, developing and licensing a cattle TB vaccine and an oral badger TB vaccine remains an important goal for the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra). MAFF/Defra have invested £35 million on cattle TB Vaccine and associated test development since it started this research programme in 1998. Since 2007 Defra has spent £23m on research and development (R&D) into oral and injectable badger vaccines. Development of cattle and badger vaccines, an integral part of the comprehensive risk-based TB Eradication Strategy.

The contractor will be called upon to assist Defra TB Programme in its dealings with the veterinary medicines regulator (VMD), international collaborators, potential and actual suppliers and others.