Seeing a cherished family dog age is a difficult experience, as aging can bring a variety of painful health issues that are challenging to manage.
However, a groundbreaking new drug might alleviate this pain and potentially extend the lifespan of our canine friends, as shown in studies funded by the pharmaceutical company Loyal.
Named LOY-001 and LOY-002, these innovative treatments have successfully navigated regulatory challenges, securing approval from the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine earlier this year. They are the first drugs aimed at extending lifespan to be deemed as having a ‘reasonable expectation of effectiveness’ by the organization.
Pending final regulatory approvals, these drugs could be available by 2025 to improve the longevity and health of many dogs.
For the past six years, Loyal has been crafting therapeutic drugs to boost the lifespan of medium and large dogs. Their research has been concentrated on understanding why smaller dogs generally outlive their larger counterparts.
Larger breeds typically have a lifespan of up to 10 years, whereas smaller breeds might live up to 16 years with their families.
This significant discrepancy in size-related life expectancy is uncommon among animal species.
Usually, larger animals tend to have longer lifespans than smaller ones, exemplified by the African elephant, which can live up to 70 years.
Loyal’s researchers suggest that this difference might be linked to hormonal factors, with large and giant dog breeds exhibiting IGF-1 hormone levels 28 times higher than those in smaller breeds.
Their first treatment, LOY-001, addresses this IGF-1 hormonal imbalance, which is also responsible for their considerable size.
The second treatment, LOY-002, aims to replicate the metabolism of smaller dogs, thereby reducing the occurrence of age-related health issues.
Large and giant dog breeds like Great Danes and Irish Wolfhounds are expected to gain the most from the first treatment, which involves a quarterly injection.
This IGF-1 inhibiting drug prevents the hormone from hastening the aging of the dog’s cells. It’s intended as a treatment for dogs over 7 years old and weighing more than 40lbs.
Loyal’s extensive study involving numerous veterinary practices across the US identified that the aging process associated with size is not inherent but rather results from an ‘accelerated aging disorder’ due to breeding.
The treatment is anticipated to be available by prescription as early as next year.
The second treatment, pending FDA approval, could serve as a broader solution, offering life-extending benefits to both medium and large breeds.
LOY-002, particularly beneficial for dogs older than 10, is a daily tablet for dogs over 14lbs. It seeks to emulate the significant health advantages of calorie-restricted diets for senior dogs.
This approach is generally impractical for larger dogs, despite evidence that controlled diets might extend a dog’s life by about two years.
LOY-002 effectively mimics the metabolism of smaller dogs without necessitating severe food intake reductions. This could ward off many age-related conditions and provide dogs with more comfortable later years.
Arthur, a participating veterinarian and Principal Investigator at Baycrest Veterinary Hospital in St. Petersburg, remarked, “Before I joined the trial, we were trying to do things to help minimize [dogs’] pain and suffering as they aged, though there aren’t a lot of good options…
“The thing that tends to excite people the most [about LOY-002] is the possibility that they’re giving their dog something that will keep them around for longer.”