Can gene therapy help dogs and cats live longer?
Baku, November 4, AZERTAC
Scientists and biotechnology companies are developing new treatments that could help dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives, with gene therapy emerging as one promising approach, Kazinform News Agency reported, citing Nature.
Several companies are now exploring treatments for age-related diseases in pets. Their work includes new medicines for cats, gene therapies for dogs and improved diets.
One of the companies working on gene therapy is Rejuvenate Bio, based in San Diego, California. It is developing a treatment for mitral valve disease, the most common heart condition in dogs.
The company's co-founder and chief scientific officer, Noah Davidsohn, hopes the treatment could eventually serve a wider purpose. He sees potential applications in treating metabolic disorders and improving dogs' longevity.
Rejuvenate Bio has also worked to reduce the cost of producing gene therapies, which are complex treatments, to make them affordable for the pet market.
Another company, Genflow Biosciences, is developing gene therapy aimed at extending dogs' lifespans and reducing age-related muscle loss, known as sarcopenia. If the treatment proves successful, the company hopes to sell it to a larger animal-health company and use the proceeds to support research into applying the same approach to humans.
Other researchers are exploring treatments for ageing-related conditions in cats. The Cat Health Company, based in Bucharest, is developing drugs for conditions including muscle loss and kidney disease. It currently has two compounds in clinical trials.
However, gene therapy is only one part of the growing animal-longevity field. Companies are also exploring probiotic pet food and medicines originally developed for humans.
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