UTI Vaccine Reported Very Effective in Portugal

A recent study found that 73% of adult Portuguese patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs) reported a reduction in symptom severity or duration of illness after treatment with Uromune™ (MV140). This inactivated oral spray serves as a novel sublingual mucosal-based bacterial vaccine.

This prospective observational study, which involved 125 patients with complicated and uncomplicated recurrent UTIs, was published in the journal MDPI Vaccines (12(12), 1426) on December 18, 2024. In addition to the primary outcome of symptom reduction, the study assessed overall patient satisfaction, adverse events, and the effectiveness of Uromune in subgroups with specific UTI risk factors.

During the 12 months following the start of treatment, 38% of patients were free of UTIs. Meanwhile, 34% reported experiencing one or two episodes, while the remaining 28% had three or more recurrent UTIs.

This data indicates a mean reduction of 3.20 UTI episodes per year per patient (with a confidence interval of 2.87 to 3.53; p < 0.001).

Based in Lisbon, Portugal, the researchers found that Uromune was more effective in post-menopausal women than in pre-menopausal women (74.7% vs. 59.4%, respectively; p = 0.029). Additionally, the vaccine was noted to be less effective in men.

Since 2017, various studies have evaluated the beneficial role of MV140 in preventing UTIs, which are among the most common bacterial infections, affecting millions of women and men annually. Uropathogenic E. coli causes most UTIs.

On November 4, 2024, the JAMA Network published a Consensus Statement for UTO clinical guideline development. However, most topics relating to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of UTIs lack high-quality prospective data. Clear recommendations cannot be made, and further research is of utmost importance to inform true evidence-based rather than eminence-based practice.

These researchers wrote, 'Sublingual vaccines, such as Uromune, may, in the future, be the cornerstone for prevention, even in patients with complicated UTIs, if future placebo-controlled research is able to reproduce the results of this study.'

While approved in various countries such as Mexico and the United Kingdom, Uromune™ (MV140) is not offered in Canada or the United States. International travelers can request a vaccine appointment abroad at Vax-Before-Travel.