A Drug Designed to Extend the Lifespan of Dogs May Be Ready Next Year
One of the hardest parts about being a pet parent is accepting that our pets don’t live forever. But scientists are working on a way to extend the lifespan of our four-legged friends. And we may just have a way to do that very soon!
A clinical-stage veterinary medicine company called Loyal has been busy researching the underlying causes of canine aging and is working on several drugs to expand the lifespan of dogs. “LOY-001 and LOY-003 are designed for large-breed dogs, and LOY-002 is designed for senior dogs of nearly all sizes,” says Celine Halioua, CEO and founder of Loyal.
These medications have been in the works for some time and the company recently announced a massive step forward in their research progress with the largest trial of its kind. The STAY study will be conducted in partnership with more than 50 independent veterinary clinics across the country, with over 1,000 senior pet dogs participating and putting LOY-002 to the test.
The first dog participant named Boo, an 11-year-old Whippet, was dosed at a location in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, kicking off the exciting, 4-year-long study.
“We’ll collect data on the drug’s impact on the lifespan of dogs receiving LOY-002 compared to those receiving placebo,” says Halioua. “We are also collecting data on quality of life and frailty.”
Loyal will share the results of the study with the FDA as part of their application for full approval to market the drug for lifespan extension. And if things go well, they’re planning on getting the drug to market as soon as next year.
“The first question we get when people hear about our drugs is ‘When can my vet start prescribing this to my dog?’” says Halioua. “Our current projection is that LOY-002 will be available under conditional approval in early 2025, and LOY-001 and LOY-003 will be available under conditional approval in 2026.”
LOY-002 is a preventative drug, says Halioua, which is focused on extending a dog’s healthy lifespan by reducing age-associated disease. It aims to do this by improving metabolic health in senior dogs of all but the smallest sizes.
“We want dogs to live longer, healthier lives. We want them to be part of our families for longer and — equally importantly — we want to help them maintain their quality of life as they age,” Halioua explains.
The drug has been buzzed about for some time – it even got a shoutout at this year’s Emmy awards during the cast of Beef’s acceptance speech – but it’s now getting closer to actually being available for pet parents and their canine companions.Visit Loyal’s clinical trials page for participating veterinary clinics and more information on how you can enroll your pup to be part of the STAY study. To be eligible, dogs must be 10 years and above and weigh at least 14 pounds.
