Seeking Vaccine Candidates with Cross-protection Against Canine Leptospira

Our client is seeking novel vaccine candidates to protect against canine leptospirosis and/or leptospiruria. They aim to improve on the currently available vaccines, particularly those with immunity to one specific serovar, typically from inactivated bacteria. 

Novel vaccines should provide cross-protection against multiple leptospira serovar from the following list: Leptospira pomona; L. canicola; L. icterohaemorrhagiae; L. grippotyphosa; L. bratislava; L. australis; L. copenhageni and L. autumnalis.

Approaches of Interest:

• The vaccine candidate should provide cross protection against at least two of the serovars listed, however more comprehensive protection is desirable 
• Our client is open to vaccine formulations that provide cross-protection, and could comprise: 
  • A recombinant or chimeric proteins (subunit), or multiple proteins that provide cross-protection in combination 
  • Vectored vaccines 
  • Modified-live vaccines 

Out of Scope:

• Killed (inactivated) vaccines.
• Leptospira vaccine development in non-canine species, unless readily applicable to achieve protection in canines. 

Developmental Stages of Interest:

• Cross-protection should be demonstrated in hamster challenge model, or an equivalent small animal model.
• Validation in a canine model is desirable.

Submission Information

Submission of one-page, 200–300-word briefs is required, along with any relevant supplementary information e.g. relevant publications, patents. You are encouraged to outline the validation achieved for your technology, and next steps towards commercialisation. This campaign is open to submissions from academia and industry, including start‑ups. In submitting to this campaign, you confirm that your submission contains only non-confidential information. 

Opportunity for Collaboration

Our client has commercial funding available for a collaboration, with necessary resources to progress suitable technologies from research through commercial development. Any such collaboration (including funding amount, timeline etc.) will be discussed on a case-by-case basis with selected submissions. Licensing of technologies and associated IP will also be considered.