FDA Approves Elanco’s Elura Medication to Manage Weight Loss in Cats with Chronic Kidney Disease
The FDA has approved Elura (capromorelin oral solution), a new prescription medication to manage weight loss in cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD), announced Elanco Animal Health.
CKD causes progressive weight loss due to a variety of factors including decreased appetite, malabsorption and increased energy requirements. This weight loss – which translates to loss of energy, immune function and muscle deterioration – has shown to negatively impact survival.
“With the management of any chronic disease, providing solutions that can be used long-term is critical,” said Racquel Harris Mason executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Elanco. “Elura is a once-daily oral solution and the first of its kind to specifically address weight loss in cats with CKD, providing innovation in patient care that veterinarians are looking for.”
Elura is the first ghrelin receptor agonist to be approved for use in cats providing a novel mechanism of action to address weight loss in cats with CKD. Based on the mechanism of action, the clinical effects of Elura are thought to be due to a combination of increased food intake and metabolic changes that lead to weight gain.
“When veterinarians diagnose a cat with CKD, they know the cat will lose weight and waste away over the course of the disease. This is heartbreaking for veterinarians and for the families they care for,” said Dr. Tony Rumschlag, head of consulting veterinarians for Elanco. “It’s exciting to add a new treatment option to manage this otherwise inevitable decline.”
In the pivotal field study, use of Elura in cats with CKD led to weight gain in more than 80 percent of treated cats over the 56-day study period, compared to approximately 40 percent of controls. Significant weight gain was recognized as early as day 15. Elura was well-tolerated in this study as well as a 6-month safety study, supporting the long-term use of this product to provide the metabolic support needed in managing weight loss in cats with chronic kidney disease.
“Elura represents an important milestone in the diversification of our portfolio, with a constant flow of internal and external innovation creating a durable pipeline to service our varied customer base of pet owners, veterinarians and farmers,” said Aaron Schacht, executive vice president of Research and Development for Elanco. “This is our innovation strategy at work.”
Elura joins Elanco’s growing therapeutic portfolio, which includes solutions in the areas of pain management, internal medicine, oncology and dermatology. For more information about Elanco’s cat health portfolio, visit https://www.elanco.us/products-services/cats