16 Apr 2021
Monoclonal antibody therapies – seen in the first new class of medications for OA pain in two decades – could soon have other veterinary applications.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
The new therapy for cats launches in May, but one for dogs is already out. IMAGE © Svetlana / Adobe Stock
The launch of a new class of OA pain medications has been described as “probably the biggest innovation in OA management for a generation”.
A monoclonal antibody treatment to target nerve growth factor (NGF), a key player in OA pain, has been launched for dogs in the UK, EU and Switzerland, with a treatment for cats following suit in May.
The new products will provide vets with an alternative treatment option to NSAIDs for OA pain, which impacts nearly 40% of cats and dogs suffering from the condition.
John Innes – RCVS specialist in small animal orthopaedics and spinal surgery, and CVO and referrals director for CVS – said the potential for anti-NGF therapy to control OA pain was exciting, and provided “an innovative tool for clinicians”.
He added that monoclonal antibody technology, used in human diseases for 25 years, could innovate other areas of veterinary medicine in the near future.
Speaking to Vet Times after the launch, Prof Innes said: “NGF is known to be a major mediator of joint pain and the safety of monoclonal antibody therapy in the modern era is very good. So, yes, it is potentially a game-changer and is probably the biggest innovation in OA management for a generation.”
Prof Innes added: “I suspect we are on the brink of a new era of innovation and progress in veterinary medicine.
“Monoclonal antibody technology has transformed the care and prognosis for many human diseases, but the costs used to be such that this type of medicine was out of the reach of the veterinary sector.
“However, advances in technology have been such that the costs of developing monoclonal antibody therapies have come down dramatically, and I think we will see other targets emerge in areas such as oncology and immune-mediated disorders.”
Zoetis launched Librela (bedinvetmab), a monthly SC injection for alleviation of OA-associated pain in dogs, on 13 April. Solensia (frunevetmab), a treatment for cats, follows next month.
Together, the two products mark the first new class of medications for canine and feline OA pain management in 20 years.
Librela – administered as monthly injections during the pivotal field study, which was three-month placebo-controlled followed by six months’ continuation therapy – demonstrated a reduction in OA pain as compared to placebo-controlled dogs. Owners observed reduction in pain, as monitored by increased physical activity level, sociability and quality of life.
In a clinical study across three months, 76% of cat owners reported sustained improvement in signs of pain when their cats were treated with Solensia, and veterinary-assessed joint pain scores decreased by more than 50% in the cats by the end of the study. The Solensia EU SPC and the Librela EU SPC contain full details.
For the full story, see Vet Times issue 16, out next week.
