New Delhi, April 7 (IANS) – A new study has revealed that more than 50 percent of people who received the oral spray-based vaccine ‘MV140’ remained Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)-free for up to nine years. The study, published in the European Association of Urology journal, suggests that the MV140 vaccine could be a potential alternative to antibiotic treatments.
The study conducted by specialists at the UK’s Royal Berkshire Hospital found that about 54 percent of participants remained UTI-free for nine years after receiving the vaccine, with no notable side effects reported. Dr Bob Yang, Consultant Urologist at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, who co-led the study, stated, “Nine years after first receiving this new UTI vaccine, around half of participants remained infection-free.”
The MV140 vaccine, developed by the Spain-based pharmaceutical company Immunotek, contains four bacterial species in a suspension with water. It was administered to patients with two sprays of a pineapple-flavored suspension under the tongue every day for three months. The vaccine is currently available off-license in 26 countries.
According to the study, 48 participants remained entirely infection-free during the nine-year follow-up period. The average infection-free period across the cohort was 54.7 months, with women experiencing an average of 56.7 months and men 44.3 months. The research also noted that 40 percent of participants received repeat doses of the vaccine after one or two years.
Professor Gernot Bonkat from the Alta Uro Medical Centre for Urology in Switzerland commented, “This follow-up study reveals encouraging data about the long-term safety and effectiveness of the MV140 vaccine.” This study provides hope for individuals suffering from recurrent UTIs and points towards a potential breakthrough in UTI prevention.
