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EP-4304578-B1 - PELARGONIC ACID FOR USE AGAINST AFRICAN SWINE FEVER VIRAL INFECTIONS

EP4304578B1EP 4304578 B1EP4304578 B1EP 4304578B1EP-4304578-B1

Inventors

  • LANNOO, Kobe
  • BRUGGEMAN, GEERT
  • BRUGGER, ROLAND

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20220310

Claims (15)

  1. Pelargonic acid (C9) for use in the treatment or prevention of African Swine Fever virus (ASFV) infections in animals from the family Suidae.
  2. Pelargonic acid (C9) for use according to claim 1, wherein said pelargonic acid is added to the feed, feed ingredients or the drinking water of livestock.
  3. Pelargonic acid (C9) for use according to any of the previous claims, wherein said pelargonic acid is added at a concentration of between 1 and 10.000 ppm to said feed, feed ingredients or drinking water.
  4. Pelargonic acid (C9) for use according to any of the previous claims, wherein said pelargonic acid is combined with one or more other organic acids.
  5. Pelargonic acid (C9) for use according to claim 4, wherein said organic acids are chosen from short chain fatty acids, medium chain fatty acids, propionic acid, butyric acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, formic acid, citric acid, oxalic acid, malic acid, or combinations thereof.
  6. Pelargonic acid (C9) for use according to claim 4 wherein said pelargonic acid is combined with medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs), wherein said MCFAs are chosen from the group of valeric acid (C5), caproic acid (C6), caprylic acid (C8), capric acid (C10), lauric acid (C12), or combinations thereof.
  7. Pelargonic acid (C9) for use according to claim 6, wherein the ratio between C9 and the sum of the other MCFAs is between 50:1 to 1:1, more preferably 10:1 to 1:1.
  8. Pelargonic acid (C9) for use according to any of the previous claims wherein said pelargonic acid (C9) is provided in liquid or solid form.
  9. Pelargonic acid (C9) for use according to any of the previous claims, wherein said animal from the family Suidae is a domestic pig or a warthog.
  10. A method of inhibiting or mitigating ASFV infections in an animal feed, feed ingredients or drinking water said method comprising dosing pelargonic acid (C9) to said animal feed, feed ingredient or drinking water.
  11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said pelargonic acid are added at a concentration of between 1 and 10.000 ppm to said feed, feed ingredients or drinking water.
  12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein said pelargonic acid is combined with one or more other organic acids.
  13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said organic acids are chosen from short chain fatty acids, medium chain fatty acids , propionic acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, formic acid, citric acid, oxalic acid, malic acid, or combinations thereof.
  14. A method of lowering the viral titer of ASV in an animal feed, feed ingredient or drinking water, said method comprises adding an effective dose of pelargonic acid to said animal feed, feed ingredient or drinking water.
  15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said pelargonic acid is added at a concentration of between 1 and 10.000 ppm to said feed, feed ingredients or drinking water.

Description

FI ELD OF THE I NVENTI ON The present invention relates to mitigants and treatments for viral infections in animals such as pigs. BACKGROUND In the recent years, outbreaks of several viruses have challenged the agricultural industry such as the swine industry worldwide. In 2015 the spread of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) shocked the industry, now African Swine Fever (ASF) is changing the global pig production landscape. African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) is a contagious, rapidly spreading, transboundary animal disease and a major threat to pork production globally. Handling these kind of threats needs a very broad approach including biosecurity measurements, veterinary precautions, nutritional adaptations and feed safety measurements to stop the disease from spreading. Learnings from previous foreign animal disease outbreaks have shifted the focus from diagnosis and treatment to prevention and control. Keeping pathogens at bay is the first step to an effective on-farm biosecurity program. An often-overlooked aspect in biosecurity planning, however, is the role of feed and feed ingredients. In particular, it is known that feed may carry pathogens that are detrimental to animal health and welfare. As such, spreading of viral particles via the feed is an example of growing concern. To this purpose antiseptic products such as formaldehyde are commonly used to disinfect the feed. WO 2016 081 716 discloses the use of chemical mitigants to prevent or decrease Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) and/or Salmonella bacteria in animal feed. WO 2019 169 256 describes chemical mitigants to combat African swine fever virus or classical swine fever virus. WO 2009 150 281 and CN 106 234 770 discuss the use of conjugated fatty acids for combatting viral infections in animals. EP 1 123 701 discusses the use of fatty acids for treating fish parasitic diseases and WO 2003 043 441 and WO 2013 059 012 describe the use of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) as antimicrobial agents. Despite these proposed solutions, the industry to date lacks adequate methods to prevent the spreading of viral particles and consequently to prevent viral infections in animals, especially pigs. More specifically, there is a need for treatments that are also effective at mitigating viral presence in animal feed, feed ingredients and drinking water, while also being safe for oral administration for animals, especially pigs. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is defined in the appended claims. Embodiments not falling within the scope of the appended claims do not form part of the invention. Any references in the description to methods of treatment refer to the compounds, pharmaceutical compositions and medicaments of the present invention for use in a method for treatment of the human (or animal) body by therapy. The invention thereto aims to provide pelargonic acid (C9) for use in the treatment, suppression and/or prevention of viral infections in animals according to claim 1. In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a method of inhibiting or mitigating viral infections in animal feed, feed ingredients or drinking water according to claim 10. The method comprises dosing pelargonic acid (C9) to said animal feed, feed ingredient or drinking water. Another aspect of the invention relates to a method of lowering the viral titer in an animal feed, feed ingredient or drinking water according to claim 14, wherein the method comprises adding an effective dose of pelargonic acid to said animal feed, feed ingredient or drinking water. DESCRI PTI ON OF FIGURES The following description of the figures of specific embodiments of the invention is merely exemplary in nature. Fig. 1 shows a graph relating to data in support of the susceptibility of African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) to pelargonic acid in animal feed.Fig. 2 shows a graph relating to data in support of the susceptibility of African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) to pelargonic acid in animal drinking water. DETAI LED DESCRI PTI ON OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns the use of pelargonic acid for treating viral infections in animals, preferably pigs as well as methods for inhibiting or lowering the viral titer in feed, feed ingredients or drinking waters of animals. Unless otherwise defined, all terms used in disclosing the invention, including technical and scientific terms, have the meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. By means of further guidance, term definitions are included to better appreciate the teaching of the present invention. As used herein, the following terms have the following meanings: The term "medium-chain fatty acid" or "MCFA" as used herein, refers to fatty acids with a medium-chain length, wherein the fatty acids may be saturated or unsaturated. In the present invention, the longest continuous chain of an MCFA can consist of 5 to 12 carbon atoms, for example, valeric acid (C5), caproic acid (C