There are few things more painful than the loss of a beloved pet, especially after seeing them struggle with chronic diseases and drastically reduced mobility. But what if there was a way to extend your pet’s life by a few years and have them enjoy this extra time in good health?
Companies around the world have been investing billions in anti-ageing solutions in the hopes of coming up with a scientific or technological equivalent to the mythical fountain of youth. However, they’ve all faced the same hurdle – regulatory approval. Human trials would literally take decades, and few companies are willing to invest significant amounts of money for such a distant potential payout. The risks are simply too great.
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The regulatory approval process for veterinary products is another matter entirely! This week, biotech company Loyal announced that its anti-ageing drug for dogs has cleared a significant regulatory hurdle, making it the first potential longevity treatment approved for any species.
Known as LOY-002, this experimental drug comes in the form of a beef-flavoured tablet and is designed for senior dogs over the age of 10 and weighing at least 14 pounds. It targets ‘IGF-1,’ a hormone involved in metabolism and growth in dogs. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) helps dogs grow, but high levels after they become adults are identified as a major culprit in accelerating cellular aging.
Loyal claims that LOY-002 reduces the effects of IGF-1, thus slowing down the biological clock and helping dogs maintain a decent quality of life in their later years. The pill is designed for larger dogs, because larger breeds tend to have shorter life expectancies compared to smaller ones.
LOY-002 has been in development for some time now, but earlier this year, Loyal had its target animal safety (TAS) technical section accepted by the FDA, which means that the drug’s application has now received acceptance for 2 of 3 major technical sections required for market launch.
“As a veterinarian, what I care about most, especially when it involves preventive care, is safety,” Ellen Ratcliff, vice president of clinical and veterinary medicine at Loyal, said in a press release. “The FDA’s sign off on this submission is an important vote of confidence in our mission to develop safe and effective lifespan extension drugs for dogs.”
That only leaves the STAY study, which is the pivotal effectiveness trial required to support a future full FDA approval. Loyal estimates that this final hurdle will be overcome next year, so LOY-002 may become commercially available by the end of 2027.
