News
February 27, 2026
Announcement of the New Release of BOVISUNT® Akabane Vaccine for Akabane Disease in Cattle
Meiji Animal Health Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture; President: Kazuhiko Hirose), the animal pharmaceutical arm of the Meiji Group, is pleased to announce the launch of an inactivated Akabane disease vaccine for cattle called “BOVISUNT® Akabane” in Japan on October 1, 2025.
Akabane disease is an arthropod-borne viral disease caused by the Akabane virus infecting cattle, sheep, and goats. The disease can lead to reproductive disorders (miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, and congenital abnormalities) and encephalomyelitis in young cattle. The Akabane virus is widely spread across tropical and subtropical regions of the eastern hemisphere, including Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Australia. Cases of Akabane disease have been reported in countries such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Israel, and Turkey*1.
BOVISUNT® Akabane utilizes the Akabane virus of Genogroup I as the antigen to prevent Akabane disease in cattle. Administration of this vaccine induces neutralizing antibodies at levels sufficient to prevent clinical disease against the Akabane virus belonging to the two genotypes (Genogroup I and II) currently prevalent in Japan. Furthermore, this vaccine is a liquid formulation that does not require preparation prior to use.
Product Overview
Product Name: BOVISANT® Akabane
Ingredients and Quantity: Per Vial
| Component | Quantity | |
|---|---|---|
| Main Agent | HmLu-1 cell-cultured Akabane virus KN-06 strain (pre-inactivation virus titer) | 10^7.0 TCID50 or more |
| Inactivator | Formalin | 0.01 mL or less |
| Adjuvant | Trisodium phosphate dodecahydrate | 0.08 g |
| Adjuvant | Aluminum chloride | 0.05 g |
| Solvent | Purified water | Remaining quantity |
Indication: Prevention of Akabane disease in cattle
Dosage and Administration: Intramuscular injection of 1 mL to each head of cattle twice at a 4-week interval
Note: Injection twice in the first year, then one booster injection annually thereafter.
Packaging: 10 mL per vial (for 10 head of cattle)
Meiji Animal Health is focusing on the field of infectious diseases in cattle. We will protect animal health through ongoing research and development in this field. We will then contribute to the stable supply of safe and secure livestock and aquaculture products as well as to improved productivity. Furthermore, we are considering exporting this new product to overseas markets. Companies interested in collaboration are kindly invited to contact us at the address below.
Contact Information
Meiji Animal Health Co., Ltd.
URL: https://www.vet.meiji.com/global/contact/
*1Center for Food Security and Public Health. (2020). Akabane. Iowa State University.
Retrieved from https://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/akabane.pdf