Final dog study results
Panion Animal Health AB develops a new gene therapy treatment for dogs with epilepsy, based on CombiGene’s vector that is in development for humans.
Earlier in 2018, preliminary results were released from Panion’s safety study in dogs, conducted in cooperation with the University of Copenhagen. The study tested the reactions and potential adverse effects of the intracranial injection of the gene therapy vector in experimental beagle dogs. The final pathology report has now been received and the results show that there were no treatment-related adverse effects in the dogs. Minor, incidental findings were either only observed in the control dogs or in all dogs including the control dogs.
The medical treatment data have been cleaned and analyzed. Only one dog in the study – from the control group - had a serious disease event that required medicinal treatment (pyometra, i.e. inflammation of the birth canal) after the time of vector administration. Since this was an untreated control dog, this event was obviously not caused by the product.
The data for body weight gain was analyzed with special interests, because it is known that the active protein of the gene therapy product, NPY, may stimulate food intake significantly, at least in some parts of the brain. It was therefore assumed that there could be an increase in body weight in the treated dogs. However, all dogs, both treated and controls, had equivalent increases in body weight of approximately 3% when comparing end-of study weight to pre-treatment weight. This confirms initial results seen in earlier studies in both dogs and rats with intracranial treatment with vectors carrying genes for NPY.
Based on these data, there seems not to be a concern for increase in body weight as a cause of treatment. No other serious or product-related adverse event has been observed in the study.
“These results have been awaited with tension, as they are the ultimate proof from this study that the treatment is well-tolerated and mild for the dogs. This is very important for the upcoming clinical study in family dogs with epilepsy. The results are very promising for the further development of our gene therapy product.” says Anja Holm, CEO of Panion. The final study report is expected to be available by the end of Q4-18.
Investor meeting
Panion’s CEO, Anja Holm, will hold an investor meeting at Mangold’s premises in Stockholm on 14 December. Anja will describe Panion’s activities and ongoing research in gene therapy for the treatment of epilepsy-like conditions in dogs.
For registration to below, please email to:
emissionstjanster@mangold.se
Date: December 14, 2018
Time: 12-13
Location: Engelbrektsplan 2, Stockholm
(Mangolds office)
This press release contains information which Panion Animal Health AB is obliged to publish according to the EU market abuse regulation (MAR).
This information was submitted by Panion’s CEO, Anja E. H. Holm, for publication on December 7 2018.
Anja E. H. Holm, CEO
+ 45-22 94 66 00
anja.holm@panion-animalhealth.com
Bolaget ska utveckla och kommersialisera genterapi för behandling av epilepsiliknande tillstånd hos hundar och andra djur, samt utveckla och kommersialisera andra veterinärmedicinska produkter och nya behandlingsformer som kan ge sjuka djur bättre livskvalitet.
Panion will develop and commercialize a gene therapy treatment for dogs with drug refractory epilepsy, and other new animal health products and treatments that improve the quality of life for animals suffering from chronic diseases.