Biogénesis Bagó welcomed a South African delegation led by Minister of Agriculture John Henry Steenhuisen to its Garín facility amid the foot-and-mouth disease emergency, which is causing significant losses for producers in that country and severely affecting the local economy and exports.
The Minister and his delegation traveled to Argentina to learn more about Biogénesis Bagó’s facilities, processes, and technologies. The company is one of the few worldwide with the capacity to supply a vaccine that can be formulated in different combinations of the seven circulating serotypes of the foot-and-mouth disease virus.
“The Minister and his delegation were highly impressed by our industrial, technical, and scientific capabilities. Thanks to our investment in R&D, combined with our logistics capabilities, Biogénesis Bagó has become a key player in responding to increased demand for vaccines containing SAT strains,” said Esteban Turic, CEO of Biogénesis Bagó.
The Minister traveled to Argentina accompanied by a delegation that included members of his team; Light Litha Magigxa, President and CEO of the Agricultural Research Council (ARC); Jacob Modumo, Acting CEO of Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP); and directors and representatives of leading local producer organizations and associations, including AgriSA, Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS), and the African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (AFASA).
South Africa has already begun using Bioaftogen in its vaccination campaign after the company shipped 2.5 million vaccine doses to launch emergency vaccination efforts. In line with its original commitment to supply 6 million doses to address the emergency, Biogénesis Bagó confirmed the immediate availability of an additional 3.5 million doses, subject to the applicable regulatory processes and the requirements of the South African program. The company has also committed to the South African authorities to providing a regular and sustained supply to a country that needs not only to protect its livestock with high-quality vaccines, but also to access the expertise required to manage animal health emergencies, regain its health status, and re-enter international markets.
Biogénesis Bagó’s leadership has been consolidated through more than 70 years of continuous investment in research and development, enabling the company to supply 35 countries seeking to protect their livestock production from foot-and-mouth disease and prevent production losses that affect their economies and food security.
The company’s developments have positioned it strategically in the global landscape. This is due to outbreaks of the SAT strain of foot-and-mouth disease—traditionally limited to southern Africa—that have now been detected in Asia. This situation has caused significant disruptions to the supply chain, affecting both food supplies and the availability of the vaccines needed to control the disease.
It is also worth noting that Biogénesis Bagó and SENASA recently signed an agreement that represents a strategic advance for Argentina’s animal health system by strengthening the country’s capacity to prevent and control foot-and-mouth disease in the event that new virus variants are introduced.
The availability of strategic reserves of strains from outside the region, drawn from the stocks the company maintains as its own reserve, will strengthen response capacity in critical situations.
“This is made possible by the company’s industrial capabilities, which, together with its robust global logistics system, facilitate product availability and access. In a system where both speed and operational precision are essential, this enables an efficient animal health response,” Turic concluded.