PIC has been working for years to find a solution to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) because the problem is only getting worse, says Matt Culbertson, chief operating officer at PIC.
“Iowa State University just published a new study that shows growing losses from PRRS cost pork producers $1.2 billion per year in the U.S. That estimate is up from the previous estimates of $664 million in 2006 to 2010 and $560 million in 2000 to 2005,” he points out.
That’s why PIC is excited about the PRRS-resistant pig and the significant benefits it will provide for the animals, pork producers and its food system partners.
PIC is working to gain regulatory approval for pig genetics that are resistant to PRRS. These pigs were developed utilizing non-transgenic gene editing to inactivate a specific gene, CD163, that exists in the pig and allows PRRS infection to occur, Culbertson explains.
“The industry has invested a significant amount into improving biosecurity to prevent PRRS breaks, but the virus is still evading our heightened processes,” he says. “The PRRS-Resistant Pig is a breakthrough solution to this devastating problem.”
Still, many questions remain. Two of the most common questions are, “When will the PRRS-resistant pig be available? And what will that do to the market?”
Here are five key points Culbertson wants to share with pork producers regarding these questions.
1. PIC is the final stages of FDA approval and anticipates a decision in 2025.
“We do not plan to commercialize the PRRS-Resistant Pig until at least 2026, after we’ve gained approval in other key markets,” Culbertson clarifies.
2. PIC is working to secure approval and market acceptance for the PRRS-resistant pig in the U.S. and other key pork producing countries, including Canada, China, Japan and Mexico. PIC received a positive determination from the government of Colombia in October 2023 and from Brazil in 2024.
“Each country has a unique regulatory system and biotechnology policies that will affect the approval process and timeline,” Culbertson says. “The introduction of the PRRS-Resistant Pig will happen gradually over time, allowing the pork market to adjust accordingly.”
3. Receiving a regulatory determination/approval is a critical first step but does not automatically trigger sales.
“Other important considerations, including market acceptance, will determine when PIC commercializes the product – meaning when we start shipping and selling to customers,” Culbertson says.
4. To responsibly introduce the PRRS-Resistant Pig, PIC believes it must build trust with the full value chain, including consumers.
“We’ve conducted market research to better understand consumer perceptions,” he adds. “Per consumer research conducted by Circana in 2023, 72% of consumers like the idea of gene-edited pork when they are presented with the benefits. We will continue to survey the consumer landscape to ensure we understand how they feel about gene editing and the PRRS Resistant Pig, what questions and concerns they have and what they care about.”
5. Gene editing extends far beyond the PRRS-Resistant Pig, which is exciting for our industry and many others.
“The technology shows potential to treat and prevent human diseases, including HIV, sickle cell anemia and a variety of cancers, according to the World Health Organization,” Culbertson says. “The PRRS-Resistant Pig is among the first gene-edited animals, but there are more than 500 other gene-edited animals and crops under development to achieve disease resistance, improve nutritional content, enhance climate resilience and reduce food waste.”
Experts believe the PRRS-Resistant Pig technology has tremendous potential to solve various societal problems.
“Controlling PRRS is a continuous challenge in part because the RNA virus that causes PRRS evolves frequently and vaccines have limited effectiveness,” says Derald Holtkamp, professor of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine at Iowa State University. “I’ve been doing this for going on 30 years now, and more than half a dozen times in my career we’ve thought we had things figured out and were on top of it. But this virus always finds a way. It outsmarts us every time.”
Read More:
Growing Losses from PRRS Cost Pork Producers $1.2 Billion Per Year
