1h ago
A new range of RNA vaccines has been approved for use by European regulators.
Allister Webb
Job Title
Image: rosinka79 / Adobe Stock
A new range of cat vaccines have been unveiled, which their manufacturer hopes could help to address enduring public misconceptions about the need for infectious disease protection.
The Nobivac NXT products were launched by MSD Animal Health ahead of the WSAVA Congress in Warsaw, following their approval for use in the European Union.
Bosses claim the six vaccines combine low-volume dosage with a rapid, one week, onset of immunity against key pathogens.
But they have also hailed the range as the first major breakthrough in feline vaccination for two decades amid hopes they could help to close an “information gap” between vets and pet owners.
Pedro Silva, the company’s EURAM region senior vice-president, said: “Vaccination is care. Prevention is care.”
As part of the launch, the company also released the findings of its research that suggested significant differences in the attitudes of clinicians and pet owners.
Among 1,330 vets surveyed across 14 countries, including the UK, 69% identified vaccination among three key contributors to the maintenance of feline health.
But only 16% out of more than 5,000 cat owners said similar, with more than a quarter (27%) of those who chose not to vaccinate their cats claiming they were either healthy or indoor-only animals.
In total, 58% of surveyed owners described their vet as the “primary source” of vaccine information, though only 23% of vets admitted sharing educational materials on vaccination with them.
Vet and RCVS fellow Nathaniel Whitley suggested the range could provide a “significant opportunity” to help address what he described as “vaccine hesitancy”.
He added: “Vaccination is one of the most important preventive tools we have, but the right approach will not be identical for every cat.
“Veterinarians are in a unique position to assess each cat’s individual risk and help owners understand the value of appropriate vaccination.
“Having a range that supports tailored protocols gives us greater flexibility to make those recommendations in practice.”
The vaccines are intended to target five pathogens – feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV), feline calicvirus (FCV), feline panleukopenia virus (FPLV), Chlamydia felis and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV), with one intended to protect against all of them.
MSD claims the products offer up to three years of immunity against FHV, FCV, FPLV and FeLV and a year against Chlamydia felis.
The company has also described the range, which can be used in Northern Ireland but not yet in Great Britain under EU single market rules, as the first feline protection to be based on RNA particle technology.
More than three million doses of RNA vaccines are estimated to have been sold or administered in North America in the past two years.
Dr Silva said: “The real measure of innovation is not simply how new the science is, but what makes it possible in practice.
“We are proud to bring this scientific advancement to feline vaccination in Europe.”