Türkiye advances in rabies vaccine production for humans, exports animal vaccines

Turkish scientists have announced the export of rabies vaccines produced for animals, while advancing to the preclinical stage for domestic rabies vaccine production for humans. Professor Kadir Yeşilbağ, head of the Virology Department at Uludağ University, stated that preclinical studies for the human rabies vaccine are underway.

Speaking at the 5th International Vaccine Science Congress hosted by Erciyes University in Kayseri, Yeşilbağ noted that rabies is one of the oldest known zoonotic diseases affecting humans. He emphasized that nearly all individuals infected with rabies ultimately die, highlighting the critical need for treatment.

Yeşilbağ pointed out that Türkiye is among countries at high risk for rabies, with many animal species acting as carriers. He specified that bats, wild carnivores, cats, and dogs are key contributors, with dogs accounting for over 99% of human cases.

Annually, around 450,000 rabies-risk exposure incidents occur in Türkiye , a figure that is steadily increasing due to rising interactions between humans and animals, as well as the growing dog population.

Regarding rabies vaccines for animals, Yeşilbağ mentioned that the latest treatment methods are applied to rabies-infected individuals in Türkiye . He highlighted the importance of localizing the rabies vaccine production, stating, "Türkiye was one of the first countries to produce rabies vaccines, but technological advancements lagged, disrupting production." Currently, research and production activities for animal rabies vaccines have resumed through collaboration between the private sector and universities, and the vaccine is now being exported. Licensing efforts for the vaccine in Türkiye are also nearing completion.

In terms of human rabies vaccine development, Yeşilbağ noted that around 2 million doses for animals and over 1.5 million doses for humans are imported annually. He detailed ongoing projects for the domestic human rabies vaccine, mentioning collaborations with various private sector organizations.

A project is underway in Adıyaman with a company previously focused on animal health but now also involved in human health initiatives, including COVID-19 projects. The main goal is to complete the research and development phases, demonstrating that they can succeed in this effort with existing human resources and infrastructure. Currently, the project is in the preclinical stage.