New pill that makes your beloved dog live longer could drop in just a year, reveal bosses after clearing key hurdle
A NEW pill that makes your beloved pooch live longer could be available to buy in just a year, bosses have revealed.
The anti-ageing meat flavoured tablet could extend the lifespan of your dog by at least a year.
It supposedly works on dogs of all sizes and will make older dogs appear healthier, younger and more energised.
Engineered by Loyal, a San Francisco startup, the drug produces the same benefits as fasting without actually having to eat less.
Fasting is a widely accepted approach to extending and improving people and animals’ lives.
According to the science, when a body is fed fewer calories, it metabolises food more efficiently.
This results in higher boosts of energy for longer periods of time.
Unlike hunger suppressants like Wegovy or Ozempic however, Loyal’s drug won’t interrupt your pooch’s appetite.
The drug is being trialled on 1,000 dogs and is on track to be on the market within the next year after receiving key approval from the US regulator, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
This follows approval the company received in 2023 for treatment aimed specifically at large dogs which typically don’t live as long as smaller breeds.
Loyal’s founder, Celine Halioua, said she thinks its affect on dogs’ quality of life will be even more “striking” to dog owners, though recognises this benefit will be more difficult to assess.
She told The Times: “I think the quality of life improvement will actually be even more striking to dog owners, but it’s harder to quantify versus mortality, which is, unfortunately, quite simple.”
Going forward, Celine hopes to translate her work to humans but for the time being she is happy tapping into the world’s love of dogs.
Since Covid too, the number of people owning pets has increased as well as owners’ willingness to spend money on their animals’ welfare.
Despite this, Celine said she has prepared herself for backlash when her super drug eventually hits the market.
With so many other issues in the world, she understands her work might be considered a waste of time and money by some.
However, if Loyal succeeds in getting this drug onto the market Celine believes this will fast-track the development of lifespan extension drugs for humans.
“The biology is extremely similar,” she said.
She added: “I think people being able to go to their veterinarian and buy a drug to extend their dog’s lifespan, they’re inevitably going to ask the question,
‘Why does this exist for my dog and not my grandma?’ It’s that cultural normalisation.”