Most male piglets raised for pork in the united states are surgically castrated during their first week of life to prevent boar taint, an undesirable odor and flavor that can occur in pork from intact…

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded $650,000 to Insigna, Inc. (doing business as Epivara, Inc.) on September 1, 2026, under the Small Business Innovation Research Program (CFDA 10.212) to develop and evaluate INEUTER-S, a biodegradable, single-dose implant designed to prevent boar taint and testicular development in piglets without surgical castration.

The project will determine an effective and safe dose of INEUTER-S, characterize the distribution and elimination of its active pharmaceutical ingredients from the animal, and evaluate performance at both a university research farm and a commercial swine operation. Studies will assess piglet growth, feed efficiency, carcass yield, pork quality, and active pharmaceutical ingredient residues in edible tissues. Results will be shared with swine researchers, pork producers, implant manufacturers, and regulatory partners to refine the manufacturing process and inform future pivotal studies required for FDA approval. The work addresses a market need: approximately 63 million piglets are surgically castrated annually in the United States, a procedure that is painful, contributes to piglet mortality, presents hazards to farm workers, and reduces feed efficiency. A practical, one-time alternative could improve animal welfare and worker safety while reducing production costs.

Period of performance runs from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2028. Work is performed in Champaign, Illinois.

Most male piglets raised for pork in the united states are surgically castrated during their first week of life to prevent boar taint, an undesirable odor and flavor that can occur in pork from intact males. Approximately 63 million piglets undergo this procedure each year. Surgical castration is painful, contributes to piglet mortality, presents an unpleasant and potentially hazardous task for farm workers, and reduces feed efficiency. The only FDA-approved alternative requires at least two treatments in older pigs and has had limited adoption in the united states. A practical, one-time alternative could therefore improve animal welfare and worker safety while reducing piglet mortality and production costs.ineuter-s is a biodegradable, single-dose implant administered under the skin during routine piglet care and designed to prevent testicular development and boar taint without surgical castration. This project will determine an effective and safe dose of ineuter-s, characterize how its active pharmaceutical ingredients (apis) are distributed and eliminated from the animal, and evaluate its performance at both a university research farm and a commercial swine operation. The proposed studies will assess growth, efficiency, carcass yield, pork quality, and API residues in edible tissues. Results will be analyzed using pre-established scientific criteria and shared with swine researchers, pork producers, implant manufacturers, and regulatory partners. The project is expected to provide the evidence needed to refine the manufacturing process and design future pivotal studies required for FDA approval. If ultimately approved and adopted, ineuter-s will improve piglet welfare and farm-worker safety, reduce piglet mortality and pork production costs, and strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of the U.S. Pork industry.