AESC Participates in Clinical Trial of New Canine Lymphoma Drug

Animal Emergency & Specialty Center has been selected to participate in the clinical trial of Aratana Therapeutic’s new canine lymphoma drug. AESC is the only hospital in the region selected to participate in the clinical trial. AESC’s oncology department is headed by Dr. Jeffrey Phillips, DVM, MSpVM, Ph.D., DACVIM, who is heading the trial.

Cancer is a devastating disease not only for humans but also for pets, and more advanced therapies are needed to manage the disease in pets. The following is just a brief snapshot of the need to help fight one type of cancer, lymphoma in dogs. Unfortunately, several common breeds are predisposed to lymphoma cancers, including Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd, Poodle, Boxer, Scottish Terrier, Bassett Hound and Airedale.

  • Current estimates indicate there are 83.3 million owned dogs in the United States.
  • Cancer is on the rise as pets are living longer, and the incidence rate of cancer increases with age.
  • Approximately 1 in 4 dogs will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their life.
  • Currently, pet cancer treatment options are primarily treated with human medicines which have not been specifically approved in pets.
  • Lymphoma is one of the most common cancers in dogs. It is most commonly treated with chemotherapy, which can be associated with serious negative side effects. Our monoclonal antibodies bring new treatment options that have been shown to be valuable in human medicine.
  • In the United States, approximately 7% of all cancers in dogs annually are diagnosed as lymphoma.

Canine Lymphoma Monoclonal Antibodies are a new therapeutic solution for this disease in dogs. The Monoclonal Antibody therapies developed by Aratana are currently being used by specialists under a conditional license based on USDA requirements for demonstration of safety and reasonable expectation of efficacy. Additional clinical studies are in progress to further support the safety and efficacy of this new therapeutic option.

What are Monoclonal Antibodies?

Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibodies are designed to specifically target cancer in dogs using molecular biological tools to be species-specific antibodies that bind to specific target cell-surface antigens. These antibodies target the specific antigen, and are designed to work specifically in humans, dogs or cats. Lymphoma Monoclonal Antibodies are designed to specifically bind with an antigen on lymphoma cells, and stimulate the dog’s immune system to target and deplete these lymphoma cells from the body.

About Animal Emergency & Specialty Center

Animal Emergency & Specialty Center is East Tennessee’s premier veterinary emergency & specialty hospital. Located in Knoxville, we provide veterinary specialty services to pet owners throughout Tennessee and neighboring states. Our staff of board-certified veterinary specialists bring a wide variety of experience in many different treatment areas. Our veterinarians are board certified or have advanced experience and training in areas of emergency and critical care, internal medicine, surgery, oncology, ophthalmology and avian & exotic medicine.

About Aratana Therapeutics

Providing veterinarians with new therapies that are driven by science and specifically made for pets, was the inspiration behind Aratana Therapeutics. We believe pets are family, and they deserve equal care.

For more information, visit www.aratana.com.