New Canine Mast Cell Tumor Treatment

Pfizer Animal Health today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first canine cancer therapy in the U.S. - PALLADIATM (toceranib phosphate) - which was developed by Pfizer to treat mast cell tumors in dogs. Pfizer made the announcement to veterinarians attending the 2009 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Forum and Canadian Veterinary Medical Association Convention.

"Pfizer Animal Health is proud to bring the first canine cancer therapy approved by the FDA to U.S. specialists, their patients and caregivers," said George Fennell, vice president, Companion Animal Division, Pfizer Animal Health. "In the weeks and months ahead, Pfizer will introduce PALLADIA to boarded specialists to expand the body of clinical experience with this new therapy. The experience gained during this time will enable us to support veterinarians more effectively when we make the product available for purchase in early 2010," Fennell said.

Pet caregivers should continue to consult with their local veterinarians about options for their dogs with cancer, who may then refer appropriate cases to specialists for treatment with PALLADIA.

A new option to treat canine mast cell tumors

According to the Morris Animal Foundation, cancer is a leading cause of death in dogs. 1

Pfizer Animal Health estimates 1.2 million new canine cancer cases are reported in the U.S. every year. 2 Mast cell tumors are the second most common tumor type and are often seen as lumps in the skin. These tumors are classified as grade I, II or III, with grade III being the most severe. If not treated, they can spread to other parts of the body including lymph nodes.

Prescription-only PALLADIA is an oral therapy indicated to treat Patnaik grade II or III recurrent cutaneous mast cell tumors with or without regional lymph node involvement. PALLADIA belongs to the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) class of compounds. It works by blocking the activity of key receptors important for the development of blood vessels that supply tumors, as well as receptors critical for tumor survival.

"PALLADIA is an exciting, new treatment option for dogs with mast cell tumors," said Cheryl London, DVM, PhD, board certified medical oncologist and associate professor at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

"At the completion of a PALLADIA clinical study, approximately 60% of dogs had their tumors disappear, shrink or stop growing. Also, we determined that dogs whose tumors responded to PALLADIA experienced an improved quality of life,"3 said Dr. London, who has helped Pfizer Animal Health's Veterinary Medicine Research & Development to develop PALLADIA since 2000.

PALLADIA can be administered in a veterinary clinic or in the home by a dog's caregiver. PALLADIA is not for human use and is only available in the U.S. Adverse events with PALLADIA can be serious but most are mild to moderate and are generally manageable. The most common side effects of PALLADIA involve the gastrointestinal tract and signs include diarrhea, decreased appetite, lethargy and vomiting. Life-threatening adverse events are rare but possible and early recognition is critical. Children should not come in contact with PALLADIA. In addition, all individuals, including children and pregnant women, should avoid direct contact with broken or partially-dissolved PALLADIA tablets or biological waste from dogs treated with PALLADIA. For specific dosing and prescribing information, visit http://www.palladia-pi.com.

Soy May Aid In Treating Canine Cancers

Researchers at North Carolina State University are looking to soy as a way to make traditional canine cancer therapy more effective, less stressful for the dog and less costly for the owners.

Dr. Steven Suter, assistant professor of oncology, and NC State colleagues studied genistein - a molecule found in soy that has been shown to be toxic to a wide variety of cancer cells in humans - to determine whether it would also inhibit the growth of canine lymphoma cells.

The researchers found that a commercially available form of genistein called GCP was effective in killing canine lymphoid cells in a laboratory setting, and that GCP is "bioavailable" in canines - meaning it is absorbed into the bloodstream where it can affect cancer cells in the body. The researchers hope that their findings will lead to the use of GCP for their canine patients in conjunction with traditional cancer treatments like chemotherapy.

The researchers' findings were published in Clinical Cancer Research.

"Humans have been using soy in conjunction with traditional chemotherapy for some time as a chemo potentiator," Suter says. "This means that the GCP makes the chemotherapy work more efficiently and faster, which translates to less stress on the patient and less money spent on chemotherapy."

Since dogs absorb GCP in much the same way that humans do, Suter hopes that veterinarians will be able to offer this therapy to canine patients in the near future.

"Since GCP is a dietary supplement, it is harmless to patients," he adds. "Plus it's inexpensive and easy to administer in a pill form. There's really no downside here."

Source:
Tracey Peake
North Carolina State University