Zoetis has earned European Commission approval of Solensia, a feline version of an injectable monoclonal antibody formulated for the treatment of osteoarthritis pain. The approval came three months after a similar Zoetis product, Librela (bedinvetmab), was authorized for dogs.
The therapies are the first of their kind.
Solensia contains frunevetmab, a monoclonal antibody that Zoetis said neutralizes nerve growth factor. A pivotal clinical trial found that 76% of cat owners “reported sustained improvement in signs of pain when their cats were treated,” the company stated.
“Anti-NGF therapy could be the most exciting therapeutic advancement in more than 20 years in veterinary medicine to control OA pain,” said Margaret E. Gruen, DVM, MVPH, Ph.D., DACVB.
“The monthly administration makes it especially useful for cats, with the potential to bring pain relief to millions of cats who suffer from OA,” said Dr. Gruen, a North Carolina State University assistant professor of behavioral medicine, speaking on behalf of Zoetis.
Because it functions like naturally occurring antibodies, frunevetmab has “minimal involvement of the liver or kidneys in their metabolism and elimination process, and minimal gastrointestinal impact,” the company added.
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