Librela demonstrated a reduction in OA pain as compared to placebo-controlled dogs.
Zoetis Launches LIBRELA® And SOLENSIA® In Europe, The First Products In A New Class Of Medications For The Management Of Osteoarthritis (OA) Pain In Dogs And Cats In 20 Years
3 years ago 
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Librela® and Solensia® effectively relieve osteoarthritis pain for a month with a positive safety profile
Zoetis has announced the launch of Librela (bedinvetmab) in the European Union, United Kingdom and Switzerland. Solensia (frunevetmab) will launch to veterinarians in Europe, United Kingdom and Switzerland in May. Librela® and Solensia® effectively alleviate OA pain in dogs and cats for a month with a positive safety profile.
“Globally osteoarthritis (OA) pain impacts nearly 40% of cats and dogs suffering from the condition1,2. OA pain is under-diagnosed as pet owners often think signs of pain are related to ‘normal’ signs of aging. The most common medications used to treat OA pain today are Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)2, While effective, current treatment choices can have limitations. Additionally, middle aged to senior pets may have other diseases that require multiple medications. Not all pets respond to NSAID therapy and some will not tolerate NSAIDs. This can lead to under-treatment today of OA pain,” said Mike McFarland, DVM, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Zoetis. “With Solensia for cats and Librela for dogs, veterinarians will now have access to once-monthly breakthrough solutions for the management of pain associated with osteoarthritis – offering a new alternative to veterinarians to improve the quality of life for pets and their owners.”
Untreated OA pain can limit pets’ quality of life
“My clinical research, and personal experience, has shown that OA pain can affect cats in a variety of ways. It impairs their ability to perform their activities of daily living, like jumping and playing, and negatively impacts their quality of life,” said Margaret E. Gruen, DVM, MVPH, PhD, DACVB, Assistant Professor of Behavioral Medicine at North Carolina State University.
By alleviating pain, Solensia helps generally improve physical activity level, sociability and quality of life of cats with OA. This new product’s benefits are effective pain relief, combined with a positive safety profile in a monthly injectable treatment for OA pain in cats. In a clinical study over three months, a total of 76% of cat owners reported sustained improvement in signs of pain when their cats were treated with Solensia3. “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.
“OA pain can affect many areas of a pet’s life, including sleep, cognitive function, affect (emotion) and social relationships, among several other factors,” said John Innes, BVSc, PhD, MRCVS (Small Animal Orthopaedics), Chief Veterinary Officer and Referrals Director, CVS (United Kingdom).
Librela – administered as monthly injections during the pivotal field study (three-month placebo-controlled, followed by six months continuation therapy) – demonstrated a reduction in OA pain as compared to placebo-controlled dogs. Pets owners observed reduction in pain, as monitored by increased physical activity level, sociability, and quality of life.
Nerve Growth Factor a key player in OA in dogs and cats
Librela (bedinvetmab) and Solensia (frunevetmab) work differently from NSAIDs, the current standard of care, by specifically targeting NGF, a key player in OA pain2. As monoclonal antibodies, they are eliminated by the body in the same way as naturally occurring proteins, with minimal involvement of the liver or the kidney4.
“The potential for anti-NGF therapy to control OA pain is an exciting new development, representing a new therapeutic class, an innovative tool for clinicians working to alleviate OA pain, and a new medicinal innovation. NGF is one of the key factors mediating pain, inducing the release of both proinflammatory mediators and more NGF contributing to a cycle of pain and inflammation. I welcome this innovative tool for clinicians working to alleviate OA pain” concludes Dr. Innes.
Librela and Solensia as part of multi-modal treatment for OA
OA is a progressive disease in dogs and cats. “The best approach to therapy includes analgesics, weight management and exercise. It’s important that veterinarians work with pet owners on a multi-modal approach to support the care of the animal,” added Dr. McFarland.
Rob Kelly, Executive Vice President and President International Operations at Zoetis concludes: “Our focus on pain management is not new. Zoetis launched Rimadyl® (carprofen) in 1997, and the long acting Trocoxil® (mavacoxib) in 2009. And now, we are very excited to provide Librela and Solensia as innovative new options for the management of osteoarthritis pain in canine and feline patients to European veterinarians.”
For more information about Librela and Solensia and full prescribing information, refer to Solensia EU SPC and Librela EU SPC.
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