WILLMAR, Minn. — S&P Global has named Vaxxinova a winner of the 2025 Animal Health Award for Best New Food Animal Product, according to a news release from Vaxxinova.
“This award reflects Vaxxinova’s identity as an agile, global organization rooted in customer partnership,” the news release stated. “Our mission is to provide reliable, science-driven solutions that meet real health challenges in poultry production. We work closely with veterinarians and producers across markets to ensure our vaccines are effective, practical and accessible.”
Vaxxinova US, originally called Epitopix, has offices in Willmar and Worthington.
The recognition highlights Vaxxinova’s commitment to scientific innovation, resilience and close collaboration with poultry producers worldwide for its Vaxxon SHS, a lyophilized live attenuated avian metapneumovirus vaccine developed to protect poultry against swollen head syndrome, according to the news release.
The vaccine has proven itself for more than 20 years in the field outside the U.S. in multiple poultry production systems and the U. S. Department of Agriculture in 2025 granted Vaxxinova the first-ever U.S. approval for the importation of a live vaccine for food-producing animals, marking an unprecedented regulatory milestone.
The authorization, issued under a Veterinary Biological Product Permit, enabled emergency access to a needed solution for turkey and poultry producers devastated by aMPV outbreaks.
The award judges recognized Vaxxinova’s innovation driven by market need, demonstrating its regulatory achievement for the vaccine, its strong customer impact and industry need and its unique characteristics and proven field performance.
The introduction of Vaxxon SHS into the U.S. market was described internally as an “all-hands-on-deck mission,” made possible through close collaboration with producers, industry associations and regulatory authorities, according to the news release.
“Producers have reported significant benefits following vaccination programs with Vaxxon SHS,” the news release states. Vaxxinova also offers an inactivated autogenous aMPV vaccine, enabling producers to implement the live vaccine priming and inactivated boost strategy that the industry has long sought.
“The recognition of Vaxxon SHS as a winner of the 2025 Best New Food Animal Product Award reinforces our commitment to advancing poultry health through innovation, collaboration and scientific excellence,” the news release stated.
