Clinical trials are underway in Colorado for a new drug that could extend a dog’s lifespan. Loyal , a San Francisco based biotech company, is developing the drug and seeking FDA approval.
The STAY study is testing 1,000 senior dogs at 70 veterinarian clinics across the country, including three in Colorado.
The US Food and Drug Administration determined that Loyal’s drug has a “reasonable expectation of effectiveness.” The next step is for the company to show that its drug actually extends lifespan through the clinical trials.
Each dog takes one pill a day, which targets metabolic dysfunction in the pet. The trials are double-blind, meaning half of the dogs receive the drug, while the other half get a placebo. Neither the veterinarian or the dog’s owner know which drug the dog received.
The four-year study is the final step needed for Loyal to submit the medication for FDA approval.
“Something this size and complexity is a real challenge to design and conduct in an effective kind of way,” Brennen McKenzie, the director of veterinary medicine at Loyal, said.