The licence for Zoetis’ canine dermatitis product, CYTOPOINT (lokivetmab), has been extended to include the treatment of pruritus associated with allergic dermatitis, in addition to the original claim of clinical manifestations of atopic dermatitis.
CYTOPOINT is an injectable monoclonal antibody therapy for dogs that targets and neutralises the cytokine IL-31, a key mediator of allergic itch. Veterinarians are now able to offer the rapid and long-lasting itch relief seen with CYTOPOINT to more dogs suffering from pruritic skin disease. This presents an opportunity to improve treatment compliance by removing the hassle of giving tablets every day.
The new claim was granted following additional research in the form of a randomised, double-masked, multi-centred, placebo-controlled study which looked at CYTOPOINT’s efficacy and safety for the treatment of pruritus associated with allergic dermatitis in client-owned dogs. The study showed that CYTOPOINT significantly decreased pruritus, and improved skin lesions.
Allison Henry, Product Manager Companion Animal Dermatology at Zoetis UK, says: “Allergic dermatitis is one of the most common skin conditions in dogs. The associated clinical signs – including scratching, hair loss and skin lesions – are disruptive for the dog, impacting their quality of life and that of its owner. Allergic skin disease is one of the most frequent reasons owners present their dog to a veterinarian.
“The licence extension demonstrates further innovation from Zoetis in the field of veterinary dermatology, and across the continuum of care, increasing the treatment options available to manage pruritus. APOQUEL remains an ideal choice for short-term control due to its ability to provide rapid itch relief within four hours for as little as one day. This enables pruritus to be tightly controlled during the diagnostic work up, as well as being used for longer term control where tablets are the preferred method of administration.”
The sustained duration of action of CYTOPOINT makes it better suited to long-term management of pruritus, particularly when administering tablets is a challenge. Other benefits, such as no restrictions on age or with comorbidities, coupled with the flexibility of the new claim, make it a useful treatment at an earlier stage for more unique cases, e.g. young dogs or those with comorbidities.
Since its launch three years ago, CYTOPOINT has become a go-to therapy for UK vets, with 90 percent reporting that they would be likely to recommend it to a colleague. The license extension provides additional flexibility for veterinarians to prescribe CYTOPOINT for dogs with allergic dermatitis without the need to specifically diagnose atopic dermatitis first. This additional claim means that 61 percent of veterinarians said they will use CYTOPOINT more frequently following the new claim and 49 percent said they will use it earlier.
For further information on the Cytopoint licence extension please contact your Zoetis Account Manager.
