Rejuvenate Bio has announced a partnership with a leading animal health company to develop a gene therapy for canine osteoarthritis. The identity of the partnering global company is as yet unknown.
This San Diego-based biotech was co-founded in 2017 by Professor George Church of Harvard Medical School. It is focused on dog longevity research and helping our furry friends to live longer and healthier lives. In 2017, this company launched a study on dogs with Mitral Valve Disease, and now they have set their sights on canine osteoarthritis.
Canine osteoarthritis is common, but solutions remain elusive
Canine osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in dogs, affecting approximately 25% of animals. It’s a chronic disease, with loss of joint cartilage, thickening of the joint capsule, and new bone formation at the joint being typical.
Osteoarthritis happens when the cushioning cartilage in the joints wears away. Cartilage is a smooth tissue that helps joints to move easily. If cartilage wears down completely, bones will rub against each other. This ultimately leads to pain, discomfort, and limb dysfunction.
Aside from aging, other contributing factors include body weight, obesity, gender, exercise, and diet. Dog breed is also a risk factor. Labradors, Springer Spaniels, Newfoundlands, and German Shepherds are known to be more prone to developing the condition.
Dogs with osteoarthritis suffer from pain and often struggle to remain mobile and enjoy a good quality of life. It is also a common reason for pet dogs to be put down when their suffering becomes too great.
Unfortunately, despite how common osteoarthritis is in dogs, there are few options open to owners. Historically, reducing inflammation has been the typical approach to treat animals with osteoarthritis, though this typically has limited impact.
While monoclonal antibodies have recently improved things for animals suffering from the condition, Rejuvenate Bio is determined to develop better solutions.
The goal is to offer a single-dose gene therapy injection that will directly address osteoarthritis. The aim is not to simply manage inflammation and pain but to provide long-term relief by modifying the disease. If successful, it could improve overall joint health and provide a better quality of life for senior dogs.
“The ramifications of osteoarthritis extend beyond physical discomfort, as osteoarthritis is a leading cause of euthanasia in dogs,” said Dan Oliver, CEO & Co-Founder, Rejuvenate Bio. “This partnership with a leading animal health company validates our technology and approach of utilizing gene therapy to treat chronic age-related diseases and ensures that this therapy will reach the dogs that need it. Additionally, it validates a manufacturing approach that supports yields and price points that are acceptable even in highly prevalent chronic diseases in animal health.”
The gene therapy in question is likely RJB-02, which, according to the company’s development pipeline, is currently in safety testing. RJB-02 targets FGF21 and αKlotho.
We are hopeful that details of the upcoming pilot study will be announced in the near future.
Old dogs can teach us new tricks
The company also has a human aging research program. The hope is that what is learned from canine studies may potentially be translated to people.
We have discussed the idea that companion animals are a good step for translational research in the past, and this could mean humans are next. Here’s hoping that this partnership will drive progress and a solution for canine and human osteoarthritis is found.
The Rejuvenation Roadmap has more information on when therapies are projected to reach us.
