Harrisvaccines had been developing vaccine technology for both the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases of swine. In November 2015, the firm was acquired by Merck Animal Health (aka Intervet). The advanced molecular approaches used by Harrisvaccines featured vaccines that differentiate infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA) using unique subunit proteins. As an organization focused on improving the health and productivity of the swine industry, the objective is to provide vaccines that are USDA licensed for diseases that increase the cost of producing pigs and are difficult to control with available technology. Current priorities are Swine Influenza Virus (SIV) and Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV). Harrisvaccines is researching and developing USDA licensed vaccines for SIV and PRRSV through the utilization of vector-based and subunit approaches not used in traditional vaccines. Harrisvaccines is exclusively licensed by the ISU Research Foundation to manufacture and distribute vaccines using this technology, the research for which is funded by grants given to Iowa State University
