(Reuters) -Elanco Animal Health said on Wednesday the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved its canine flu vaccine, which offers dogs protection against serious respiratory disease.
The animal health company’s shares rose 1.5% to $14.75 in early trading.
Canine influenza virus is caused by influenza A viruses and the two main strains affecting dogs in the U.S. are H3N2 and H3N8. The virus can spread through respiratory droplets produced when infected dogs cough, sneeze, or bark.
The so-called bivalent vaccine, TruCan Ultra CIV, is designed to protect dogs against both the main strains of canine influenza virus.
Merck’s Nobivac NXT Canine Flu is also currently approved in the U.S. for canine influenza, but targets only the H3N2 strain.
In studies, Elanco’s vaccine was shown to be effective in protecting dogs’ lungs and improving clinical signs like reduction in viral shedding, the company said.
Unlike current products, the studies showed Elanco’s shot helped prevent abnormal spots in the lungs of vaccinated dogs after they were infected with the H3N2 strain, the company said. The vaccine was also found to be safe across multiple breeds and ages in a field safety study.
Social dogs, dogs with pre-existing airway disease and those that were unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated were at the highest risk of contracting the virus, Elanco said.
(Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole in Bengaluru; Editing by Leroy Leo)
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