Since the beginning of the nineties, Laboratorios LETI has been developing a research programme in conjunction with the Molecular Biology Centre of the Autonomous University of Madrid and the Veterinary Department of the University of Extremadura for developing products to diagnose and prevent leishmaniasis. This serious parasitic disease is extremely common in the Mediterranean region, especially in Italy and Spain, Asia and South America. Leishmaniasis is largely transmitted through dogs and the World Health Organisation has recently included it in the list of uncontrolled emerging parasitic diseases in Western countries (category I).

These tests are based on the Q Protein, a chemical protein owned by Laboratorios LETI and designed by genetic engineering. The Q Protein is also being used as a basis for developing a vaccine against Leishmania for use by veterinary surgeons, and a vaccine for use in humans is in the research stage.