Invetx’s Market Research Study Reveals Nearly 40% of Dogs in the U.S. Suffer from Chronic Osteoarthritis/Pain
Pet Owners Would Pay Premium for Longer-Acting Therapeutics to Reduce Veterinary Visits and Ensure Continuous Treatment
Boston, MA, November 29, 2023 – Invetx, a pioneer in protein-based therapeutics for animal health, announced results of a market research study showing that both veterinarians and pet owners would switch to a longer-acting (and higher-priced) therapeutic to treat pain associated with chronic osteoarthritis in their pets. Invetx is developing a portfolio of monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapeutics to treat chronic conditions in cats and dogs by leveraging its patented half-life extension technology platform. The platform extends duration of drug activity and enables longer intervals between doses which improves convenience and compliance.
The market research study, conducted by the Scullion Strategy Group and Trone Research + Consulting, included approximately 2,000 companion animal veterinarians and pet owners (650 vets and 1,500 pet owners) in the United States and Europe.
Key findings included:
- Veterinarians in the U.S. estimate that more than 40% of their canine patients have signs of osteoarthritis, while collectively, U.S. veterinarians and pet owners in the U.S. and Europe report incidences of greater than 30%. This research shows that chronic osteoarthritis/pain in dogs is much higher than the 20% previously reported.
- Monoclonal antibody treatments are widely accepted for treating pain; 91% of veterinarians in the EU have prescribed a mAb for pain. (At the time of the research, there were no mAbs approved for this indication in the U.S.).
- 87% of veterinarians who prescribe a monthly pain medication would prefer a treatment that was administered every two or three months.
- 75% of pet owners are willing to pay a premium for extended duration of treatment with fewer veterinary visits.
“We are pleased to see the results of this market research which confirms that Invetx’s ability to develop veterinary biotherapeutics with extended duration of effect and longer inter-dosing intervals is a key differentiator that is well received by veterinarians and owners alike,” said Juergen Horn, Dr.med.vet., PhD, chief executive officer, Invetx. “Our species-specific half-life extension platform represents a significant innovation in veterinary medicine, by enabling treatment intervals of every two or three months, and possibly longer. The technology is applied to our entire portfolio of product candidates, making chronic diseases in cats and dogs much more manageable.”
Invetx currently holds five patents in the U.S. on its canine and feline half-life extension technology with additional patents in the U.S. and other countries pending. The half-life extension technology is part of Invetx’s overall integrated platform, which includes state-of-the-art antibody discovery technology, optimization, development and manufacturing for best-in-class and differentiated veterinary biotherapeutics.
About Invetx
Invetx has raised $86 million since 2018, including investors F-Prime Capital, Novo Holdings, GV, Eight Roads, Anterra Capital, Casdin Capital and funds managed by Tekla Capital Management, LLC. The company has strategic partnerships with Boehringer Ingelheim, a global leader in animal health, AbCellera, a global technology company specializing in antibody discovery, Twist Bioscience, a leading and rapidly growing synthetic biology and genomics company, and WuXi Biologics, a global company with leading biologics technology platforms. Invetx is a private company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. For more information, see www.invetx.com.