Scientists, Veterinarians and Conservationists Offer Recommendations to Address the Shortage of Long-Tailed Macaques Required for Continued Health Advancements

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Scientists, Veterinarians and Conservationists Offer Recommendations to Address the Shortage of Long-Tailed Macaques Required for Continued Health Advancements

August 1, 2023

Washington, D.C. – A coalition of 40 organizations representing the scientific, veterinary and conservation communities are partnering to advocate for the protection of long-tailed macaque monkeys – both in captivity and in the wild. Their recommendations seek to ensure the healthy continuation of this species within natural habitats and to protect future medical advancements that benefit humans and animals alike.

In regard to animals raised in captivity, a series of events in recent years have resulted in a global research supply chain shortage. The situation poses a severe and urgent threat to future biomedical progress. These issues include the recent, urgent demand for nonhuman primates to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic, along with China’s decision in 2020 to end long-tailed macaque exports.

At the same time, questions have recently arisen about the status of this species in the wild. Long-tailed macaque monkeys live in various countries around the globe including Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Laos.

In response to these current and ongoing challenges, a collection of non-profit organizations, professional societies and research organizations have developed recommendations to address both short-term and long-term concerns related to this respected and scientifically valuable species. Briefly summarized, these proposals are:

  1. A rapid expansion of nonhuman primate breeding capacity within the United States
  2. The initiation of comprehensive long-tailed macaque population studies throughout countries where wild long-tailed macaque populations exist.
  3. New and expanded international partnerships to initiate region-specific animal protection or mitigation strategies.
  4. Increased collaboration between the biomedical research community and international authorities that monitor and regulate animal use.

Collectively, these proposals seek to promote the protection of at-risk wild animal populations and ensure continued medical progress.

The full public statement, along with more detailed information about the four recommendations referenced above can be found at this link. The document concludes with a full list of all signers, which include nonprofit organizations, professional societies, academic research institutions and biomedical research companies. We encourage news outlets covering this important issue to broadly share this statement with the public.

About this press release:

This press release is being issued on behalf of the research community by three organizations dedicated to ensuring continued medical advancements using the best and safest methods available. They are:

Americans for Medical Progress

Americans for Medical Progress (AMP) is a nonprofit, health research advocacy group that supports the advancement of human and animal medicine through responsible and highly regulated research in animals. AMP informs the public through outreach events like Biomedical Research Awareness Day, news articles and various online and printed interactions. AMP is a 501(c)3 nonprofit supported by universities, research-related businesses, professional societies, foundations and individual donors.

Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology

FASEB is comprised of 26 scientific member societies with 115,000 members, making it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. FASEB’s mission is to advance health and well-being by promoting research and education in biological and biomedical sciences through collaborative advocacy and service to member societies and their members.

Foundation for Biomedical Research

The Foundation for Biomedical Research (FBR) is dedicated to improving human and animal health by promoting public understanding and support for biomedical research. Together with the National Association for Biomedical Research (NABR), FBR illuminates the essential role animal testing and research plays in changing health outcomes and defeating illnesses affecting both people and animals. FBR was established in 1981 and is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

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Texas Biomed and SNPRC featured in Texas Monthly

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Story highlights the national research primate shortage and balances concerns around animals in biomedical research with the global need to develop vaccines and cures that help both animals and people.

Blake Harrington looking at baboons
Blake Harrington looks out over the nearly 6-acre baboon corral at Southwest National Primate Research Center at Texas Biomed.

Texas Biomed is featured in a Texas Monthly story that details how our infectious disease research enabled the fastest development of a vaccine in history, which helped slow a raging pandemic and save countless lives. The magazine piece highlights the strategic growth of the Institute, its vision for the future and the role of its Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC).

Reporter Will Bostwick wrote: for each animal used in COVID research…, “countless more human lives were saved. Infectious disease experts worldwide agree that there will be other pandemics, and Texas Biomed intends to help develop the next cures.”

The story goes on to lay out a fundamental crux of biomedical research: to develop cures and vaccines, nonhuman primates are a required and important part of the process. Not only because the Food and Drug Administration requires that most treatments be tested in animals before being given to humans, but also because the technologies that one day aim to replace animals in research are not advanced enough to adequately replicate a complete biological system.

In the article, Texas Biomed’s President/CEO Larry Schlesinger and SNPRC Director Corinna Ross share how deeply committed Texas Biomed and SNPRC are providing the absolute best care to its animals. Dr. Schlesinger spoke about the Institute’s work to address the current national shortage of research primates by expanding animal housing and research space.

Here are a few excerpts from the story:

Thomas Slick Jr., an eccentric 26-year-old heir to an oil fortune, founded what became Texas Biomed on a working cattle ranch eight miles west of downtown San Antonio, in 1941. Much of its early work was devoted to livestock breeding, including the creation of a popular Brangus hybrid that combined the virtues of Brahman and Angus cattle. Slick later became a world traveler who led expeditions in search of the yeti in the Himalayas and Sasquatch in the Pacific Northwest.

In the fifties, the institute turned its attention to biomedical research and began importing baboons from Africa. By the eighties, it was testing early treatments for HIV and hepatitis C. In 1999 it established the Southwest National Primate Research Center, one of only seven such facilities in the country funded by the National Institutes of Health and the only one not associated with a university. Today it’s home to roughly five hundred marmosets, one thousand baboons (the world’s largest colony), and 1,500 macaques.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, China, the United States’ top source for nonhuman primates, decided to begin keeping its supply to itself. This led to a bottleneck in animal-research projects elsewhere in the world. Cambodia, the next top supplier, partially filled the gap, but in November 2022 it, too, halted exports, out of concerns that it was contributing to the poaching of endangered wild macaques. Experts say the primate shortage has compromised critical biomedical research in the U.S., and Texas Biomed’s leaders have determined that the institute should help bolster the domestic supply.

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Much as Houston’s MD Anderson is known as the premier cancer center in the U.S., Texas Biomed aspires to be the premier infectious disease institute. “In Texas we’re not known enough,” Schlesinger says. “I don’t think people appreciate just how much power we have in science.” In addition to its work on Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, Texas Biomed was involved in developing Regeneron Pharmaceuticals’ monoclonal antibody therapy, as well as in major advances for hepatitis C patients that led to a 2020 Nobel Prize for some of its collaborators. Ebola therapies and vaccines tested in the institute’s Biosafety Level 4 lab have also shown promise. And last year the NIH selected the institute as a training center for tuberculosis researchers.

None of this would be possible without its nonhuman primates, Schlesinger insists. 

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“We’re at the cutting edge of science that will enable us to replace monkeys someday,” Schlesinger agrees. “We want that more than anyone. Animals are very expensive, labor intensive, and require a lot of care.” But Schlesinger pushes back against those who say animal testing should be supplanted immediately by the new options. “The reality is it’s not ready for prime time,” he says of the emerging technology. 

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Though the Food and Drug Administration has signaled that it will accept alternatives to animal testing in some cases, a congressionally mandated report published this year by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine found that none of the alternatives can fully replace nonhuman-primate testing—at least not yet.

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“I’m thinking about solving the world’s problems,” he (Schlesinger) says. “The goal is to use less animals, to use them in a more sophisticated fashion whenever possible, and to make sure that the studies are validated, so that the work done actually moves forward in the proper fashion. That’s what we can do. And that’s what I think Texas Biomed does really well.”

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A Pfizer senior director would later say this swift action by the institute put the pharmaceutical giant a month ahead in getting its vaccine to the public. For each of the dozens of animals sacrificed, it could be argued, countless more human lives were saved. Infectious disease experts worldwide agree that there will be other pandemics, and Texas Biomed intends to help develop the next cures. 

Read the full article here.

USDA Inspection Report – May 2023

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Texas Biomedical Research Institute and the Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) recently completed its regular, annual inspection by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), in which USDA veterinary inspectors review all areas of animal care and treatment. The USDA reports comprise information on activities requiring corrective action.

Texas Biomedical Research Institute has a long-standing commitment to treating its animals humanely and with the highest regard for their well-being. Unforeseen events do rarely occur, and immediate and appropriate action is taken to ensure the ongoing safety of our animals. All such events are also reported to the Office of Lab Animal Welfare and the USDA, per protocol.

The May 2023 USDA inspection report includes a count of all species at the time of inspection and one critical finding, which was reported and addressed prior to the inspection.

Finding

During an incident in early 2023, while shifting animals from one area of the caging to another for cleaning, an animal was startled, causing a care staff member to lose grip of the chute door. The door fell on the animal’s hand, prompting immediate veterinary attention. The animal underwent surgery, recovered well and is in good health following the incident.

To prevent any future occurrence, employees immediately implemented changes to the shifting procedures, including development of a pulley and locking system for chute doors and utilizing additional staff, as needed. These actions create a redundancy ensuring cages do not fall after being lifted. An internal review by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee found that, while procedures were followed, the implemented changes make the process safer for both employees and the animals. Standard operating protocols for shifting animals were updated to include these changes.

The USDA found the response appropriate and noted corrective action had been taken by the time of inspection.

Commitment to Care

The Institute closely monitors and continuously seeks to enhance care provided to the primates, for the sake of the animals and the quality of the research programs.

“Any time an issue arises that impacts the safety and well-being of the animals in our care, we focus on identifying and implementing the appropriate corrective action, even before USDA notes these issues,” said Dr. Corinna Ross, Director of the Southwest National Primate Research Center. “USDA indicated our corrective action was appropriate. Our responsibility to excellent care is first and foremost, as these animals enable scientists worldwide to conduct research studies that benefit both animal and human health.”

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About the Southwest National Primate Research Center at Texas Biomed

Texas Biomed is one of the world’s leading independent biomedical research institutions dedicated to advancing health worldwide through innovative biomedical research focused on protecting the global community from the threats of infectious diseases. The Institute is home to the Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) and provides broad services in primate research. SNPRC contributes to a national network of National Primate Research Centers (NPRCs) with specialized technologies, capabilities and primate resources, many of which are unique to the SNPRC. The Center also serves investigators around the globe with research and technical procedures for collaborative projects. For more information on Texas Biomed, go to www.TxBiomed.org or for more information on SNPRC, visit www.SNPRC.org.

NIH continues investment in SNPRC’s macaque colony dedicated to HIV/AIDS research

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SAN ANTONIO (May 31, 2023) — Texas Biomed’s Southwest National Primate Research Center announced today the renewal of a $10 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to support a rhesus macaque colony dedicated to HIV/AIDS research.

The U42 grant, which is spread over four years, will support the ongoing care and growth of the HIV/AIDS research colony from 800 to 1,000 animals.

“This colony has been with SNPRC since 2000 and has played crucial roles in supporting hundreds of studies into HIV/AIDS mechanisms, treatments and vaccines,” says current SNPRC Director Corinna Ross, PhD. “We are grateful for NIH’s continued support of this valuable resource. This grant will help us strategically grow the colony to help meet the needs of AIDS researchers nationwide, which is especially important as we face an acute shortage of nonhuman primates for biomedical research.”

The macaques in this colony are especially important for HIV/AIDS research for several reasons: they are free from specific pathogens, such as herpes B virus and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), the monkey equivalent of HIV; they have extremely well-documented genetics and are carefully bred to maximize genetic diversity. This all helps make them robust models for studying complex, full-body responses to a potential vaccine or therapy.

While as much research as possible is done in cells and small animal models, before a treatment or vaccine can be given to people, its safety and efficacy must be evaluated in nonhuman primates. Every study is scrutinized to ensure as few animals are used as possible, while still providing enough data to draw important conclusions.

The U.S. already faced a shortfall of nonhuman primates for research prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic made things worse as many animals were needed to help evaluate COVID mechanisms, treatments and vaccines. Additionally, China stopped exporting nonhuman primates during the pandemic, cutting off one of the main sources of research animals.

The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine released a report on the current status and future needs of nonhuman primates in biomedical research in May, following a year-long review.

“The report says the U.S. needs to prioritize expansion of domestic nonhuman primate breeding programs. Relying on importing these animals from other countries is unsustainable, and dependence on international sources undermines the security of the nation’s biomedical research enterprise,” a National Academies press release states.

SNPRC is one of seven National Primate Research Centers dedicated to managing breeding colonies and nonhuman primate research for the nation. SNPRC hosts several different nonhuman primate species, including baboons, macaques and marmosets, which support research in a wide variety of diseases in addition to HIV/AIDS, including diabetes, obesity, cancer, hepatitis, tuberculosis and COVID-19. Texas Biomed is in the process of building a new Animal Care Complex, which will help SNPRC expand its colonies.

“Our team of more than 150 caretakers, behavioralists, veterinarians and technicians are committed to providing the very best care and life for our animals,” Dr. Ross says. “We are proud to help address the need for nonhuman primates in research, but know additional investment will be required if we are to meaningfully overcome the shortage identified by the National Academies.”

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Funding Acknowledgements: This release describes funding provided by the The Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health under award number U42OD010442. The Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health also provides core funding for SNPRC under award number P51OD011133.

FOCUS: National Primate Research Centers turn 60

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Southwest National Primate Research Center is proud to be part of the success of the national network established in the 1960s.

The National Primate Research Centers (NPRCs), which are committed to helping people live longer, healthier lives through nonhuman primate research, are celebrating six decades of support from Congress and the National Institutes of Health in 2022.

The Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) at Texas Biomed is the youngest of the seven NPRCs. SNPRC was officially established in 1999 to help support biomedical research across the nation with its breeding colonies. Texas Biomed was well positioned to join the network, having housed a variety of primate species for scientific research since the 1950s.

Deepak Kaushal, PhD, oversees the SNPRC $20+ million-a-year operation, which encompasses about 2,500 primates and 150 staff dedicated to animal health and welfare. He works closely with the NPRC network, synergizing resources and coordinating research.

“Having overlapping but varied areas of expertise, we are able to cover a larger gamut of human diseases and conditions, while being mindful not to waste precious resources,” Dr. Kaushal says.

SNPRC is unique among NPRCs. It the only one hosted by a nonprofit research institute, not a university. It is the only NPRC with a biocontainment safety level 4 lab on campus. It is also the only center with three different breeding colonies: Indian rhesus macaques, African baboons and New World marmosets.

Macaques are proven models for infectious disease research. Baboons make good models for metabolic studies in areas like diabetes. Marmosets are useful for studying aging and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

“Our focus has been more diversified in species than other centers,” explains Corinna Ross, PhD, who is SNPRC’s Associate Director of Research and colony administrator. “We have the same goal and mission, though, to serve as a resource for nonhuman primates for translational work.”

While many people dream of a future where Artificial Intelligence and organs-on-a-chip can solve health crises, animal models are the best-available example of how an entire body will react to a vaccine or treatment. As our closest relatives, nonhuman primates also help researchers learn crucial details about the earliest stages of diseases, which can unlock new interventions.

“Some people are under the impression that we should be able to only conduct studies in petri dishes or on the computer,” Dr. Ross says. “We are not at that point yet.”

The primates at SNPRC have made significant contributions to human health.

“People might be surprised to know these monkeys helped test the COVID vaccines that have gone into the arms of millions of people around the world,” Dr. Kaushal says. “They have also been instrumental in breakthroughs in artificial reproduction and lung treatments for premature infants.”

With so many global health challenges — diabetes, drug-resistant bacteria, the next pandemic virus — the NPRCs and nonhuman primates will continue to play a central role in finding vaccines, treatments and cures in the decades to come.

This story appeared in the Summer 2022 edition of TxBiomed magazine. See more stories from TxBiomed here.

FOCUS: SNPRC’s Commitment to Care

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The Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) is committed to not just meeting, but exceeding, the highest standards of research animal care. Recent inspections from federal regulators and external reviewers found that SNPRC has once again passed its checks with flying colors.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture came for one of its unannounced visits. Officials inspected facilities, checked on animals and reviewed scientific protocols to see if all federal Animal Welfare Act regulations are being followed.

“We do our absolute best to care for the animals,” says Attending Veterinarian Diana Scorpio, DVM, MPH. “When you get a clean report from USDA like we did this spring, we feel such great pride in our animal care program.”

This follows last fall’s review by AAALAC International, which is a nonprofit organization promoting the humane treatment of animals in science. AAALAC renewed SNPRC’s full accreditation status for three years.

“Being accredited means we are adhering to the highest standards — and in some cases, exceeding the standards — for use and care of research animals,” Dr. Scorpio says. “AAALAC looks at everything related to animal care, from housing to breeding to the enrollment of nonhuman primates in studies.”

This external validation underscores SNPRC’s efforts to go above and beyond caring for its animals, which are a precious resource. Global companies and research organizations like the National Institutes of Health are also more likely to partner with SNPRC.

“A lot of organizations use the accreditation and inspections to decide who they want to work with,” says Dr. Scorpio, who is also a Professor and Associate Director of Veterinary Resources and Research Support. “If you don’t have those, you don’t have trust.”

SNPRC provides creature comforts the nonhuman primates need. The macaques, baboons, marmosets and chimpanzees have plenty of shade, shelter, food and around-the-clock medical care. They have indoor-outdoor housing and are intentionally placed in species-appropriate social groups or pairs. A trained team of experts in primate biology and behavior design species-specific enrichment activities to ensure the animals are engaged and displaying typical behaviors.

“My philosophy is that we are advocates for the nonhuman primates to make sure we are doing right by them and by the science,” Dr. Scorpio says. “They are providing us with information that directly helps the global good.”

If there ever came a point when animal research is no longer necessary, Dr. Scorpio says that would be welcome. In the meantime, animal models remain the gold standard for capturing critical aspects of living physiology and are vital for discovering biomedical breakthroughs.

“As veterinarians, respect for animal life is part and parcel of our profession,” Dr. Scorpio says. “These animals are a privilege to work with. They deserve to have the best of the best. We want to ensure they are given the highest level of care.”

This story appeared in the Summer 2022 edition of TxBiomed magazine. See more stories from TxBiomed here.