FDA Approves First Monoclonal Antibody for Dogs with Osteoarthritis Pain

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Librela (bedinvetmab injection) for the control of pain associated with osteoarthritis (OA) in dogs. Librela is the first monoclonal antibody (mAb) the FDA has approved for use in dogs. The FDA approved a mAb for cats on January 13, 2022, which was the first mAb new animal drug approved by the FDA for use in any animal species and the first treatment for the control of pain associated with OA in cats.

OA is the most common form of arthritis in dogs; it is estimated that it affects at least 25 percent of dogs at some point in their lifetime. OA is a degenerative and painful condition of the joints in which the normal cartilage cushion in the joints breaks down. Eventually, the bones in the joint rub against each other, causing pain, decreased joint movement, and sometimes formation of bone spurs or other changes in and around the joint. OA continues to get worse over time; however, Librela can help control the pain associated with the condition. Bedinvetmab, the active ingredient in Librela, works by binding to and inhibiting the biological activity of a protein called canine nerve growth factor (NGF), which has been found to be elevated in dogs with OA and is involved in the regulation of pain. When bedinvetmab binds to NGF, it prevents the pain signal from reaching the brain.