Laboratorios LETI and MSD Animal Health start distribution of vaccine against canine Leishmaniosis

Madrid, February 26nd, 2018 –MSD Animal Health and Laboratios LETI have started to jointly distribute the Leishmaniasis vaccine Letifend® in France, Italy and Greece. Great Britain expects to start soon. Canine Leishmaniosis is spread by the bite of certain types of Sandflies.

Therefore, the two companies and European veterinarian specialists on Leishmania met in January at the Laboratios LETI production plant located in the town of Tres Cantos, Madrid, to inform about the benefits and efficacy of the Leishmaniasis vaccine.

Mr. Jaime Grego, president of Laboratios LETI, remarked during the opening of the meeting, “Today is an important step in our history that began in 1919. In 2016 we obtained the EMA approval of Letifend®, in 2017 the distribution agreement with MSD Animal Health for France, Italy, Greece and the United Kingdom and today we are laying the scientific foundations for the prevention of canine leishmaniosis globally to control the spread of this disease in humans.”

Dr. Hans-Günther Dittrich, regional vice president MSD Animal Health Europe, Russsia, Africa, Middle East (EURAM), stated that “due to our continuously changing market, MSD Animal Health is always looking for collaborations with the best to maintain leadership in the animal health market. The agreement with Laboratios LETI offers a holistic solution to the terrible disease of Leishmaniosis, reinforcing the protection and care of animal health as well as our commitment to “One Health” in society.”

During the meeting, LETI provided the leading European Leishmania veterinarians and representatives of MSD Animal Health of France, Italy, Greece and Great Britain with scientific data of the vaccine, the manufacturing technology background as well as clinical and scientific Letifend® studies. After that the participants were taken on a tour through the Laboratorios LETI facilities where they could see for themselves how the Laboratorios LETI immunotherapies are produced with the highest quality standards.

About MSD Animal Health

For more than a century, MSD, a leading global biopharmaceutical company, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases. MSD Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA, is the global animal health business unit of MSD. Through its commitment to the Science of Healthier Animals™, MSD Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, pet owners and governments one of the widest range of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services. MSD Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. MSD Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.msd-animal-health.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

About Laboratorios LETI

Laboratorios LETI, founded in 1919, is an independent and family-owned biopharmaceutical research company. In its different areas of expertise, it seeks to contribute products to society that add value to human and animal health. Today, immunology, preventive and personalized medicine and biological products are the most important pillars of the company, although its area of influence and product range have significantly diversified.

For more than 25 years Laboratorios LETI has been committed to the development of vaccines for human and canine leishmaniasis, demonstrating its innovative and entrepreneurial capacity. In 2016 the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved LetiFend® vaccine in all EU member states for the active immunization of dogs to reduce the risk of developing clinical leishmaniais. LETI is now in the process of developing a vaccine against human Leishmaniasis, an illness which is endemic in more than 80 countries, that has some 350 million people at risk in the world.

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