Kindred Biosciences Inc. is planning the summer 2018 release of what the company describes as the first and only FDA-approved transdermal medication for the management of weight loss in cats.
Mirataz (mirtazapine transdermal ointment) can be used to manage feline weight loss associated with underlying illnesses, the San Francisco biopharmaceutical company reported May 7. The drug is applied to the inner pinna of a cat’s ear.
“Weight loss and anorexia are common clinical signs in cats associated with underlying disease and are estimated to occur in millions of cats each year,” said Valentine S. Williams, DVM, MS, DACVS, KindredBio’s director of veterinary affairs.
“Managing unintended weight loss with Mirataz provides veterinarians a solution for cats that are losing weight while they work toward determining the underlying cause and may minimize the negative consequences that can impact the speed and quality of the patient’s recovery,” Dr. Williams said.
Mirtazapine blocks specific serotonin and histamine receptors that play a role in appetite and nausea, KindredBio stated. Mirataz demonstrated a 3.9 percent increase in body weight in cats with unintended weight loss in as little as 14 days, the company added.
Mirataz is KindredBio’s first approved veterinary product. The company is awaiting approval of Zimeta (dipyrone injection) for the control of fever in horses and expects to launch the drug in 2018.