Vaccines

Vaccines

Two vaccines which were initially commercialized are not available anymore. The first one was launched in Brazil and was based on a fucose-mannose ligand enriched with glycoprotein 63 with a saponin adjuvant and the second one, the first launched in Europe, was based on purified excreted/secreted antigens of L. infantum combined to a saponinlike adjuvant.

The only currently available vaccine in Europe contains the active substance “protein Q”, a recombinant protein containing five different antigens from L. infantum without an additional adjuvant. First vaccination is a single injection. Booster injections are given annually.

The vaccine available in Europe can only be injected to healthy seronegative dogs, 6 months of age or older, tested by a quantitative serological assay.

A new DNA vaccine based on the non-replicative antibiotic resistance marker-free plasmid vector pPAL which contains an encoding gene for the L. infantum activated protein kinase C receptor analogue (LACK) has been approved by the European Medicines Agency in 2023. This vaccine can only be administered via intranasal, to healthy dogs of 6 months of age or older.

All of these vaccines do not prevent infection but do alter disease progression and the probability of progression to clinically overt disease.

Table 7. Current anti-Leishmania vaccines for dogs

Commercial name (manufacturer) Composition Availability Vaccine protocol Primary outcome Vaccine efficacy Diagnostic interference associated with vaccine
Antigen Adjuvant
Leish-Tec® (Ceva Santé Animale)* A2 Saponin Brazil Three primary vaccination doses (SC), 21-day intervals; one annual booster Parasite detection 71.4% Yes
Letifend® (Leti Pharma laboratories) Q-protein None Europe One primary vaccination dose (SC); one annual booster Clinical disease 72% No
Neoleish® (CZ Vaccines S.A.U.) DNA plasmid containing LACK gene None Spain One primary vaccination dose (intranasal); one booster every 6 months Clinical disease - No

* Currently not available.