UT Austin graduate behind new drug that may extend a dog’s lifespan

AUSTIN (KXAN) –  A San Francisco-based startup innovating a medication that may increase a dog’s lifespan is one step closer to getting the drug on the market. 

Loyal announced Tuesday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration determined its drug has a “reasonable expectation of effectiveness,” meaning there is strong evidence suggesting the drug would extend a dog’s life, especially the larger ones. 

“There's now a pathway for something to be approved for lifespan extension – for healthy lifespan extension,” Loyal CEO Celine Halioua, who grew up in Austin and graduated from The University of Texas at Austin, told KXAN. 

“It's actually, in some ways, crucial for dogs because when dogs get sick with age-related diseases – think cancers, dementia, osteoarthritis – it's really difficult to do much for them. And it's very, very, very expensive,” Halioua said.

To get to this point, Loyal’s team conducted several studies, including an observational trial where Loyal researchers examined nearly 500 pups of varying sizes and ages to determine life expectancy and quality of life parameters. The team also administered the experimental drug to around 100 dogs. 

“At a high level, we did a lot of work understanding a dog’s age and how that impacts the diagnoses they might have,” Halioua said. “And then we looked at interventional aspects, so what does the drug actually do in a dog? Supportive data showed us [the drug] improved aging-associated aspects of the dog,” she continued. 

The drug, called LOY-001, is intended for large breed dogs that have shorter lifespans than smaller dogs. Halioua said that these breeds were inbred for size which has contributed to the abbreviated lifespans. The drug targets a hormone that allows these dogs to grow so large but may also accelerate their aging, according to Loyal.

Halioua said Loyal hopes the drug will be available for consumers by 2026, but the company must complete the FDA regulatory process first. 

The drug has not been proven to extend a dog’s life yet but by getting the FDA approval, dog owners could access the medication while the long-term effectiveness of the medication is still being studied. 

“Preventative medicine to reduce the risk of age-related diseases and extend a dog's healthy lifespan is really necessary for our animal. It's the most effective way and the most cost-effective way to keep them healthier longer,” Halioua said.