Vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease could deliver $1.3 billion a year in global livestock benefits

The new foot-and-mouth disease vaccine developed by researchers at Diamond Light Source is projected to deliver over $1.3 billion in annual benefits and transform global livestock resilience. 

An impact report prepared by CSIL shows that Diamond played a crucial role in developing the next generation foot-and-mouth disease vaccine that could significantly strengthen global food security, reduce economic losses in livestock systems, and deliver billions in long-term benefits for farmers worldwide. 

The report, written by lead author Jessica Catalano, consistently highlighted the pivotal role of Diamond in accelerating vaccine development, with CSIL noting several features that distinguish the facility on the international stage. 

These include a unique combination of advanced X-ray crystallography and electron microscopy capabilities, the ability to carry out in-situ data collection directly from sealed crystallisation plates, and the expertise of a highly skilled scientific and technical workforce. In addition, Diamond’s proactive and collaborative approach to working alongside both academic and industrial partners was seen as a key strength. 

Projected global economic benefits 

CSIL’s economic modelling indicates that introducing a virus-like particle-based vaccine with just 20% market penetration across countries where foot-and-mouth disease is endemic could deliver substantial global economic benefits. The analysis suggests net benefits of around $1.3 billion per year, a benefit–cost ratio of 1.59, and approximately $11 billion in avoided losses over a ten-year period.

These estimates are regarded as conservative, largely because foot-and-mouth disease infections are widely under-reported worldwide, meaning the true economic impact of a new vaccine could be significantly greater. 

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The report concludes that virus-like particle technology, supported by major scientific infrastructures like Diamond, could transform vaccine strategies not only for FMD, but potentially for other livestock and zoonotic diseases. 

Similar research has already been undertaken at Diamond Light Source utilising virus-like particles to develop a polio vaccine. The research on VLP vaccines has also been successfully used on other diseases like hepatitis B and human papillomavirus (HPV).  

The novel virus-like particle 

The CSIL report evaluated the novel virus-like particle vaccine developed by Diamond Light Source, the Pirbright Institute, MSD Animal Health, the University of Oxford and the University of Reading. Unlike traditional inactivated vaccines, virus-like particle vaccines contain no genetic material and can be manufactured without handling a live virus, making them safer, simpler and more scalable. 

Virus-like particle vaccines offer several significant advantages, including greater heat stability, which makes them better suited to regions with unreliable cold-chain infrastructure. They enable safer and more efficient manufacturing processes, as they do not require high-biosafety containment facilities.

In addition, their simpler storage and transport requirements reduce logistical barriers, while their potential for faster adaptation to new viral variants makes them particularly valuable for rapid outbreak response. 

The vaccine is currently undergoing regulatory approvals with MSD Animal Health and production is expected in the coming years. 

Foot-and-mouth disease

Foot-and-mouth disease is one of the world’s most infectious animal viruses. According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), foot-and-mouth disease affects 77% of the global livestock population, primarily in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and some countries in South America. The disease is not usually fatal for adult animals, but the symptoms can cause serious consequences. 

When outbreaks occur, milk and meat yields can fall sharply, and animals may no longer be able to provide reliable labour. Countries also often face tough restrictions on international trade. These impacts are felt most acutely by smallholder farmers in low- and middle-income countries, where the disease is widespread and livelihoods are closely tied to livestock. 

Efforts to control the disease are further challenged by the virus’s complexity. There are at least seven major serotypes, and immunity to one does not protect against the others. Current vaccines also have important drawbacks: they rely on the production of live virus in high-biosafety facilities, are sensitive to heat, and do not allow differentiation between vaccinated and infected animals. 

Scientific breakthrough

Diamond chief executive Gianluigi Botton: This research has delivered an outstanding scientific breakthrough. It highlights the vital role Diamond plays in enabling solutions to issues that affect countries worldwide. With this vaccine now moving closer to production, we have a real opportunity to make a substantial impact on global animal health and support more resilient livestock systems.”

Professor Sir David Stuart, lead researcher and Professor of Structural Biology at the University of Oxford: “This impact report highlights how investment in fundamental structural biology translated into real-world outcomes. Our work on the foot-and-mouth disease vaccine demonstrates how understanding viral structure at the molecular level can directly inform vaccine design and strengthen global preparedness against infectious disease.”