Elanco Animal Health, a division of Eli Lilly and Company, has announced that Galliprant (grapiprant tablets), a first-in-class piprant, is now available to veterinarians for once-daily use in dogs with osteoarthritis (OA). Galliprant can be used in patients as young as 9 months, weighing 8 pounds or more, and most dogs can be dosed once a day with a whole or half tablet.
“Osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of chronic pain in dogs—and there is no cure1,” stated Dr. Tony Rumschlag, director of regional consulting veterinarians for Elanco Animal Health. “However, early diagnosis and intervention to control pain and inflammation can help give arthritic dogs improved quality of life. With Galliprant, we have a medication that provides targeted pain relief from the earliest diagnosis of canine OA, while reducing the impact on gastrointestinal (GI), kidney and liver homeostasis.”
Galliprant is the first piprant (a non-COX-inhibiting prostaglandin receptor antagonist, or PRA) approved for use in veterinary medicine. It represents an important innovation in the evolution of canine anti-inflammatory drugs because it targets the clinical signs by specifically blocking the prostaglandin EP4 receptor, which is the primary mediator of OA pain and inflammation. At the same time, Galliprant does not inhibit the production of many housekeeping prostanoids that maintain homeostatic functions.
Galliprant was proven effective in a placebo-controlled, 16-site field study evaluating 285 dogs with OA.4 Both veterinary and owner assessments reported statistically significant improvement in pain interference and pain severity compared to placebo on days 7, 14, 21 and 28. The most common adverse reactions were vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite and lethargy.
Additionally, a 9-month study in which Galliprant was administered to healthy dogs at approximately 15 times the labeled 2 mg/kg dose, demonstrated the product’s safety. During the study, no clinically significant changes in liver, kidney or coagulation parameters were noted and there were no noticeable effects on food consumption, body weight, ECG, organ weight or hematology. In most situations, gastrointestinal disturbances were mild or slight.
“While all dogs receiving NSAID therapy require diligent monitoring for signs of adverse reactions, studies with Galliprant demonstrated an excellent safety profile,” said Dr. Rumschlag.
“It is estimated that one in five dogs is affected by osteoarthritis,” said Dr. Rumschlag, Large breeds, such as the popular retriever breeds, as well as overweight dogs, are especially prone.”
“Along with employing such strategies as diet, exercise and disease modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADs), managing the pain and inflammation of osteoarthritis is vital,” Dr. Rumschlag explained. “With Galliprant, veterinarians can feel confident about addressing canine OA pain and inflammation, even at the earliest diagnosed stages of OA.”
Galliprant tablets are available from Elanco Animal Health, Aratana Therapeutics or authorized distributors. Elanco has exclusive rights to develop, manufacture and market Galliprant globally, and it co-promotes the product with Aratana in the United States.
Elanco provides comprehensive products and knowledge services to improve animal health and food-animal production in more than 70 countries around the world.
Aratana Therapeutics focuses on licensing, developing and commercializing innovative pharmaceutical products for dogs and cats.