High Court judges Molopa-Sethosa, Yacoob and Raubenheimer, dismissed the application with costs, brought by private companies- VetVax and Design Biologix, and their co-founder, Karen Nel.
The dispute is over a viral strain of Rift Valley Fever Virus, which was obtained allegedly from the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, back in 2001.
ARC said the applicants attempted to register a vaccine using the ARC viral strain.
The State Security Agency informed the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, about the company wanting to register “controlled goods” which are classified as “non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction act.”
The applicants (VetVax and Design Biologix), could not convince the court that they obtained the viral strain lawfully from the ARC and in compliance with various Acts, including the Animal Diseases Act and Act 36.
Dr Litha Magingxa, CEO of the ARC, said “the ARC operates within the parameters of the law, there are process and procedures that must be legally followed to obtain any scientific information.”
Picture: News Medical