The University of Liège (ULiège) has signed a new licensing agreement with the Chinese company Ningbo SanSheng Biological Technology, a major player in animal health in China, for the development and commercialisation of a vaccine against an eel herpesvirus (Anguillid herpesvirus 1, AngHV-1), a viral disease responsible for heavy losses in eel farms. This vaccine was developed by researchers at the Virology and Vaccinology Laboratory of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at ULiège, led by Professor Alain Vanderplasschen, affiliated with the WEL Research Institute.
Global eel production, which fluctuated between 300,000 and 350,000 tonnes per year in the 2000s (aquaculture and fishing combined), is in sharp decline, mainly due to the collapse of wild populations worldwide. This situation has stimulated the use of aquaculture, which now accounts for the majority of global production, with a particularly high concentration in Asia, and especially in China, the world's leading producer and exporter. The country alone accounts for more than 70% of global supply. However, eel farming relies on the capture of glass eels – young eels at the larval stage – from rivers, which are then raised in captivity. The overexploitation of glass eels, combined with the scarcity of wild eels and health problems in farming, is raising increasing questions about the sustainability of the global eel trade.
In this tense context, the AngHV-1 virus, first identified in the 1980s, causes a serious disease in eels, known as ‘red head disease’, characterised by severe hemorrhagic lesions and nervous disorders. This virus is now detected in many production regions and can cause up to 60% mortality in farming ponds.
Beyond the economic losses for the aquaculture sector, the virus could also play a role in the decline of wild populations, particularly that of the European eel, now classified as an endangered species by CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). In Europe, its population has fallen by more than 90% in recent decades, leading to a surge in the price of glass eels (up to 3,000 euros/kg) and the implementation of strict conservation programmes.
With no available vaccine compatible with administration by immersion in water, the disease poses a major threat to the conservation of the species and the sustainability of the sector.
Building on its experience in developing a vaccine against carp herpesvirus (koi and common carp) , which belongs to the same viral family as AngHV-1, Professor Vanderplasschen's laboratory has developed a new live attenuated recombinant vaccine against AngHV-1, which can be administered by immersion in farming ponds. Years of research, supported in particular by the Wel Research Institute (WELBIO-CR-2022 A-14 12) and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (Eel4ever project), have led to the development of a solution adapted to the constraints of aquaculture: a simple and effective mass vaccination that stimulates the eels' immune system while ensuring their long-term protection against the disease.
The vaccine has shown very promising results in terms of safety and efficacy. It constitutes a practical, stable and immediately applicable solution for fish farmers. In the long term, it could contribute not only to the protection of farmed fish, but also to actions to preserve wild populations, particularly the European eel.
‘This vaccine is the result of several years of fundamental and applied research, supported by Belgian and European institutional partners as well as industrial partners. We are proud to see our work translated today into a concrete solution to protect an endangered species and a key economic sector,’ says Professor Vanderplasschen.
This innovation is protected by a European patent application: European Patent Application No. EP24208936.5, filed on 25 October 2024 by the University of Liège.
On 17 July 2025, through the ULiège-RISE service, which is responsible for managing research and promoting research results, and Gesval, ULiège's technology transfer and investment company, a licensing agreement was signed with Ningbo SanSheng Biological Technology. This agreement provides for the production and distribution of the vaccine on the Asian market, where the need is particularly pressing.
This partnership follows on from an initial licensing agreement signed in October 2020 between the two entities for a vaccine targeting Koi Herpesvirus (KHV), a virus that affects common carp and koi. It marks a new milestone in the collaboration between ULiège and Ningbo SanSheng, with the aim of providing solutions to combat viruses that have a significant economic or ecological impact on the sector.
The University of Liège is now looking for a partner to develop access to this vaccine in the European and American markets, where the conservation of the species and the regulation of their trade also pose major challenges.
About the Virology and Vaccinology Laboratory – ULiège
Professor Alain Vanderplasschen's laboratory, affiliated with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Liège, specialises in the development of new vaccines and the study of host-pathogen interactions in animals. Professor Alain Vanderplasschen has won numerous prestigious scientific awards.
About Ningbo SanSheng Biological Technology
Founded in 1958, Ningbo SanSheng Biological Technology specialises in biotechnology applied to animal reproduction. Since 2000, it has expanded its expertise to livestock health, particularly in the field of vaccine development. SanSheng is now one of the leaders in the animal health sector in China, recognised for its commitment to sustainable and efficient livestock farming.
About the WEL Research Institute
The WEL Research Institute supports strategic research excellence within its WELBIO and WELT departments with a view to promoting breakthrough innovations that will have an impact in the fields of health and sustainable transition.
Co-financed by the Erasmus+ program and organized by the University of the Greater Region, this complementary training course worth 6 ECTS credits is open to all ULiège students.
Aware of its responsibility to transmit knowledge and produce high-quality research for the benefit of society, ULiège thus reaffirms the key ethical principles to which it adheres.
All three scientists are members of the GIGA Institute and are receiving this grant for their ambitious projects in paediatric neuroscience and oncology.
