Commercial and Test Development Programmes
VLA is required to seek a return on the public investment made to it by commercialising its research wherever possible. The Commercial and Test Development Programmes aim to provide an efficient, profitable and high quality service to the public and private sectors.
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During the year, specific emphasis has been placed on improving the sales and range of VLA’s biological reagents by negotiating new distributorships in several different countries. An upsurge in demand from countries in the Far East, as a result of the continuing avian influenza outbreak, has been a major factor and an increase of 38% has been achieved, compared to last year.
As part of business development the InterAct project was launched. This is a unique partnership between four leading UK government research organisations:
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Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl)
Health Protection Agency (HPA)
Central Science Laboratory (CSL)
Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA)
The aim is to recognise areas of duplication and to combine R&D services, know-how and intellectual property of the partner institutes and to bring some of these assets to the market through licensing, joint venturing and other routes across a range of technologies. If you are interested in acquiring new technologies and/or in collaborating with the partner organisations please contact VLA.
VLA has continued to provide a high quality proficiency testing resource to both the VLA network of laboratories and commercial customers around the world. As part of the InterAct agreement, VLA is building on this expertise by collaborating with CSL and the proficiency testing groups within HPA.
The Scientific Services Unit (SSU) delivers the Agency’s core commercial services, which includes quality, efficacy and safety testing of vaccines, antimicrobials and anti-parasitic compounds. During the year, SSU completed contracts to a value of approximately £900k. VLA also offers other commercial services to the private sector and contracts to a value of £3.7m were carried out right across the Agency.
Intellectual Property is a key business asset and five Patent applications were taken out in 2005 from within our research programmes.
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Marketing continued with the production of a wide range of marketing literature including brochures for reagent and diagnostic test sales, antimicrobial testing services and the customer newsletter insight. The VLA website also plays a key role in providing information to all our customers. www.vla.gov.uk
Test Development
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The aim of this programme is to introduce new tests into routine diagnostic use in order to maintain a modern flexible test portfolio. These tests are validated to a high standard, so that we can interpret the results with confidence.
VLA has some very specialist skills and expertise that include development, optimisation and validation of Real Time PCR assays, DNA extraction methods, ELISA and multiplex techniques for a range of veterinary pathogens and a test validation advice service.
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Fluorescent amplification plots for the BVDV PCR test Enlarge |
Examples of new tests or amendments which were developed, validated and introduced into routine use at VLA in the last year include:
- RT PCR for CEMO, Taylorella equigenitalis and T.asinigenitalis
- ELISA to detect E.coli expressing F41 antigen
- PCR for identification of verocytotoxigenic and attaching- effacing E.coli from cultures
- PCR to discriminate Campylobacter coli and C.jejuni
- RT PCR for pathogenic Leptospires in kidney tissue
- AGIDT for detection of Pasturella multocida somatic antigens
- Newcastle Disease Virus - statutory sequencing
- RT PCR to detect Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus types 1 and 2 in bovine tissues
- RT PCR to genotype rabies and European Bat Lysaviruses
- ELISA for rabies antibodies in sera
- cELISA for detection of BHV1/IBR antibodies in blood
- ELISA for antibodies to bovine liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica) in serum
- DGGE for identification of Mycoplasma species
- DNA sequencing including cycle sequencing
- Discriminatory Western Blot to distinguish between BSE and Scrapie in sheep
