Friends fur-ever: Can this new drug help your big dog live longer?
Global News
LOY-001, a drug being developed by a San Francisco based biotech company, aims to extend the lifespan of large dogs and maintain their quality of life as they age.
Experts believe there is an inversely proportional relationship between a dog’s size and its life span, but a San Francisco-based biotech company is conducting research that may allow you to spend a few more years with your big, furry best friend.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Centre for Veterinary Medicine approved the biotech firm Loyal’s conditional approval application for LOY-001, a drug the company is developing with the intent of extending the lifespan of large dogs and maintaining their quality of life as they age.
The company said its way is a shift in approach. Instead of treating specific diseases in big dogs, it is aiming to slow down the process of aging. The drug focuses on lowering the concentration of a growth hormone called IGF-1, which is associated with faster aging and lower lifespan among some large and giant dog breeds.
“Loyal was founded with the ambitious goal of developing the first drugs to extend healthy lifespan in dogs,” said Loyal CEO Celine Halioua. “This milestone is the result of years of careful work by the team. We’ll continue to work just as diligently to bring this and our other longevity programs through to FDA approval.”
The company said in a press release, “Selectively breeding dogs for size is understood to cause elevated levels of the growth-promoting hormone IGF-1, and this is believed to reduce their lifespan. Large dogs have up to 28x the levels of IGF-1 as small dogs. LOY-001 works by reducing IGF-1 in adult dogs to increase lifespan.”
Speaking to Global News, Halioua said, “The thesis of this drug is that big dogs have a genetically associated disease that causes them to age at a faster rate and die sooner. So, the drug is trying to compensate for that a little bit.”
She said the drug isn’t just focused on increasing lifespan, but also quality of life for dogs. “We’re trying to extend out the number of healthy years. The dog should live longer and healthier relative to what they would have without the drug.”
On Tuesday, the FDA gave Loyal an accelerated pathway to conducting research. This conditional approval will last five years, in which time the company will have to prove the effectiveness of the drug. The company said the drug is expected to be available in 2026, subject to FDA approval.
There are grunts and growls, knocks and croaks but the wild sounds detected by a team of British Columbia researchers don't belong to any of the province's famous forest creatures.
A total of 2,144 confirmed measles cases were reported in the United States in 2025, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Wednesday.
Tied for top spot on the list of endangered rivers in B.C., this year are the Heart of the Fraser, between Hope and Mission, and the Cowichan River on Vancouver Island.
Americans are being asked to avoid highly processed foods in general, including those with added sugars and artificial additives, according to the new U.S. dietary guidelines.
Canada now requires a front package nutrition symbol on many products high in sugar, sodium or saturated fat to help consumers make healthier choices.
In one notable case, a Toronto lawyer is facing a criminal contempt of court proceeding after including cases invented by ChatGPT in her submissions earlier this year.
Crude oil prices will hover around US$58. per barrel in 2026, according to the latest energy price forecast from consulting firm Deloitte.
The pill was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last month, a boon to Novo Nordisk as it looks to regain ground lost to U.S. rival Eli Lilly.
More water restrictions will be part of the 'new reality of water usage' warned Mayor Jeromy Farkas, as the city provided an update Monday on the rupture of a major water main.
'This decision protects children, respects families, and rebuilds trust in public health,' Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement.
To date, there have been six confirmed cases of chronic wasting disease in B.C. after it was first detected in B.C.'s Kootenay region in 2024.
In the week ending Dec. 20, one in four (25.6 per cent) of every influenza test conducted in the U.S. came back positive, the U.S. CDC said.
As of Dec. 29, Health Canada had received nine submissions seeking approval to make semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy.