UTI Vaccine Only Available to Travelers

Many women have learned Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections (rUTIs) can be challenging to treat with antibiotics. However, an innovative oral spray-based vaccine called Uromune™ (MV140) has been found to be a viable alternative treatment.

Improved non-antibiotic management of rUTI in women represents a genuine, unmet, global medical need, stated researchers in a new study.

Of the 11% of women who will develop simple, uncomplicated UTIs each year, 25% may experience another UTI within the next six months.

Immunotek S.L., a Madrid-based company, reports that its inactivated, oral spray rUTI vaccine Uromune™ (MV140) has been approved for adult use in four countries and is available through special access and off-license programs in an additional 20 countries.

MV140 contains four whole-cell inactivated bacteria, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, and Enterococcus faecalis, in a suspension with water. 

Unfortunately, the MV140 vaccine is no longer available in the United States.

An Immunoteck spokesperson informed Precision Vaccination News on April 19, 2024, 'Depending on the patient's situation, we suggest travel options. We usually recommend that US-based patients get Uromune in Mexico because it's licensed there.'

'The vaccine's actual price varies, depending on the country.'

From a vaccine efficacy perspective, a February 2024 prospective study was the first study to evaluate MV140 for the clinical prevention of rUTI in women in North America.

Before vaccination, study subjects reported a mean of 6.8 UTIs/year.

Compared to the infection rate in the year before vaccination, the reduction was 75.3% for the nine-month efficacy period post-vaccination.

Following vaccination, the UTI-free rate for the nine-month efficacy period was 40.6%.

At the 12-month follow-up, 80.3% reported moderately/markedly improved; 58.1% were primarily satisfied, pleased, or delighted, while the mean quality of life score improved by 1.5 points.

Fourteen adverse events in nine subjects were potentially related to the vaccine — all mild and resolved by three months. None of the 13 serious adverse events were related to the vaccine.

In a press release issued on April 6, 2024, Dr. Bob Yang, Consultant Urologist at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, who co-led another rUTI research study, stated, "Before having the vaccine, all our participants suffered with recurrent UTIs, and for many women, these can be difficult to treat."

"Nine years after first receiving this new UTI vaccine, around half of the participants remained infection-free."

"Overall, this vaccine is safe in the long term, and our participants reported having fewer, less severe UTIs."

"This is a very easy vaccine to administer and ..... could be a game changer for UTI prevention if offered widely, reducing the need for antibiotic treatment."

Over the past week, Precision Vaccinations has facilitated several MV140 appointment referrals to countries such as France, Canada, and Mexico. These prospective vaccine recipients were delighted with the process.

Additional no-cost MV140 appointment information is available at this PVax link.