Cat Allergy Vaccine Candidate is for Cats, Not Humans

A Switzerland-based company, HypoPet AG, previously announced preclinical data for their cat allergy vaccine HypoCat™.

However, recent news articles have confused the intended target for the HypoCat vaccine, which is designed for a cat, not for a human.

HypoPet said in a press release in April 2019, that ‘vaccinating cats with Fel-CuMVTT induces neutralizing antibodies and might result in reduced symptoms of allergic cat owners.’

This article was published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

While cat owners could potentially reduce their risk of developing chronic diseases, such as asthma, and become more tolerant of their cats, the HypoCat vaccine is administered to a cat, not a human.

Cat allergy in humans is usually caused by the major cat allergen Fel d 1 and is found in approximately 10% of the Western population, said HypoPet.

Currently, there is no efficient and safe therapy for cat allergy available. Allergic patients usually try to avoid cats or treat their allergy symptoms.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on April 1, 2019, ‘Although cats are great companions, cat owners should be aware that sometimes cats can carry harmful germs that can cause a variety of illnesses in people, ranging from minor skin infections to serious illnesses.’

‘One of the best ways you can protect yourself from getting sick is to thoroughly wash your hands after handling, cleaning up after, or feeding cats.’

‘By providing your cat with routine veterinary care and following the Healthy Pet tips, you are less likely to get sick from touching, petting, or owning a cat.’

Furthermore, vaccinating cats against the rabies virus is highly recommended by the CDC.

Most states specifically regulate the administration of rabies vaccinations to domesticated animals, such as cats.

The required frequency of rabies vaccinations varies from state to state. Some states prescribe a specific interval, while others refer to the label of the vaccine used or the Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control. 

Some states are also beginning to provide exemptions for vaccination requirements if medically necessary as determined by a veterinarian.

While some states have adopted statewide mandated vaccinations for dogs and cats against rabies, others delegate that decision to local governments such as counties. 

Some states only include rabies vaccination as a requirement for import into the state.​

Click on this link to view a summary of each state's laws on rabies vaccinations. States not listed in the chart likely means the rabies vaccination is regulated by local ordinances.