SBIR-STTR Award

African swine fever (ASF) is a transboundary foreign animal disease caused by ASF virus (ASFV) and remains one of the largest threats to pork production worldwide. ASF was recently reported in Dominican Republic and Haiti increasing concerns about the potential spread to U.S. soil. ASF is routinely diagnosed by serological assays which offer important surveillance tools for biosecurity. Enzyme linked immuno-sorbent assays (ELISA) are used for serological surveillance of ASF but there are no USDA-approved ASF ELISAs. ASF ELISAs on international markets have exhibited low sensitivity for detecting early infections vaccinations and low virulence strains. While ELISA is preferred for ASF screening confirmation tests are required. The immunoperoxidase test and indirect fluorescent antibody test are the only approved serological confirmatory tests but they require handling ASFV which limits their accessibility. We aim to develop an ELISA confirmation test which employs multiple recombinant ASFV antigens. This will be accessible to BioSafety Level 2 laboratories which are restricted from handling ASFV. We will screen and select ASFV antigens that have been under-utilized for diagnostic development and we will combine them with well-characterize ASFV diagnostic antigens: p30 p54 and p72. We will develop the confirmation test in collaboration with an OIE-recognized ASFV Reference Laboratory which enables us to validate prototypes with reference serum panels field samples experimental ASFV-infection samples and samples from vaccine field trials. During R&D we will produce reagents such as ASFV antibodies and antigens which have applications for future R&D in ASFV research alternative serological diagnostics and ASFV subunit vaccines.