Meet Boo, the first to take the tested pill to extend the life of dogs (Photo: Benjamin Williams/Unsplash)
A drug developed to extend the lives of dogs has reached a significant milestone: older dogs in the US have started taking the pill as part of a clinical trial.
Boo, an 11-year-old Whippet from Pennsylvania who competes in a dog sport called “scent work,” is the first participant in the trial involving the groundbreaking drug developed by Loyal, a biotechnology company from San Francisco.
Developers at Loyal said the large-scale clinical trial, called the STAY study, will include over 1,000 dogs from more than 50 veterinary clinics in the US.
Loyal hopes to obtain full conditional approval for the drug, codenamed LOY-001, by 2026 and begin selling the medication before the clinical trial is completed.
The LOY-001, which is an implant specifically developed for larger dogs, targets IGF-1, a hormone that drives cell growth. According to Loyal, larger dogs have higher levels of IGF-1, which accelerates aging and reduces the life expectancy of larger dogs.
On average, larger dog breeds live 8 to 12 years, according to the American Kennel Club. Meanwhile, smaller breeds have an average lifespan of 10 to 15 years, though some breeds live longer than others, such as the Chihuahua, whose average lifespan is 15 to 17 years, according to the AKC.
LOY-002, the daily pill Boo is taking, is the drug of the STAY trial. It is designed for dogs aged 10 and older and weighing over 6 kg. Loyal is also working on LOY-003, a daily pill targeting IGF-1 in large breeds.
If any of the drugs prove effective in dogs, they could also be tested in humans, which is an ultimate goal for Celine Halioua, founder of Loyal. Dogs are an excellent model for studying human aging and any drugs that may slow or reverse it.
