The pharmaceutical industry is facing a serious challenge as it struggles to source enough non-human primates (NHPs) such as macaques for research and testing. Alongside demand created by HIV/AIDS research, the pandemic has tightened supplies of the animals further as China, a major supplier, has clamped down on exports.
Since NHPs have great genetic and physiological similarity to humans, scientists use these animals, most commonly rhesus macaques, to study medical conditions and conduct trials which are not yet possible in humans. In 2019, US scientists used 68 257 NHPs in research, according to US government data.
As a result of this shortage, many projects may not be able to be completed, according to industry insiders, with implications for medical research. Pre-pandemic prices of $11 000 per macaque have risen to $35 000.
In July last year, Nature reported that the US government pledged to increase funding to make primates available for clinical research. However, this would not do anything to address the current shortage.
To make room for more NHPs, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) has invested about US$29 million to refurbish housing, build outdoor enclosures and making other infrastructure improvements at the US National Primate Research Centers (NPRCs), which it funds.
“A couple of years ago, we were feeling the pinch,” Nancy Haigwood, director of the Oregon NPRC in Beaverton, which houses about 5 000 non-human primates. But because of the pandemic, “we are truly out of animals”, she told Nature. “We’re turning away everyone.”
China had been a cheap source of cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) since 1985, but in 2013 began to prioritise local research, restricting exports. Adding to this was soaring demand was sparked by multiple NIH grants awarded in 2016 to study HIV/AIDS, according to a 2018 report. Housing and feeding NHPs is costly, and NPRCs could not expand due to budget caps. The report warned of a coming shortage of various primates in coming years.
The situation has drawn the public’s attention – and opposition. Complaints made to airlines has resulted in many no longer carrying the animals, making transportation a major challenge. Air France was one of the last holdouts, and last year said it would stop carrying NHPs for research purposes.
With the arrival of the pandemic and the need for NHP research and testing, vaccine research was naturally prioritised, while trying to supply other projects as well.
When COVID hit, China completely suspended exports of macaques, hitting pharmaceutical companies hardest, which prefer that species for drug trials. Even if the export ban were to be lifted, the Chinese demand for macaques in research is so high that there would be few available for export: of 30 000 macaques that became suitable for use in research last year, 28 000 were used.
Other restrictions constrain the supply, such as a European Union requirement that all non-human primates for research come from self-sustaining colonies by November this year. The UK also carried through this directive following its exit from the EU.
