Loyal Is Working on a Drug to Extend the Life of Dogs

Longevity is a trend that several startups have been working on for years. And not just with humans. Loyal, a San Francisco biotech company that has raised a total of more than $125 million, is in fact committed to launching a drug on the market that could extend the lives of dogs. The pet economy will reach a turnover of $500 billion globally by 2030.

At the end of 2023, the US FDA considered that Loyal’s injectable drug LOY-001 could be effective in large dogs. In February, as The Wildest reported, the same company announced that by 2025 owners will be able to have access to a second drug, LOY-002, applicable to a greater number of dogs, even small ones.

1000 Dogs Needed to test Loyal’s new treatment

Before this happens, however, the biotech company Loyal needs to test the drug and for this reason it has started a voluntary trial which would involve around fifty veterinary clinics in the United States in order to carry out the test on a thousand dogs. The project is called STAY and is aimed only at animals at least ten years old and weighing at least 14 kg.

A Pennsylvania woman was the first to give the drug to her 11-year-old dog, named Boo. “The launch of this study brings us one step closer to helping senior dogs spend more healthy years with their families,” said CEO Celine Halioua , also a dog owner. Founded in 2019, the company recently closed its $45 million Series B round.

Loyal is not the only startup that wants to make dogs live longer

As Crunchbase reminds us, there are several companies that are developing solutions for the longevity of animals: if the Halioua company focuses on drugs, others specialize in food such as the German Mammaly which cooks food aimed at elderly dogs, Spot & Tango which has collected almost 60 million dollars so far, and the Texan Pup Above.

80 million toys and accessories for dogs in Italy

According to the Report, almost 65 million pets live in Italian families, of which approximately 9 million dogs and 10 million cats. In 2022, a positive trend was seen in the market for hygiene products, games and accessories. Among the most requested are leashes, kennels, bowls, cages, aviaries, aquariums, turtle cages and various tools. In the large-scale distribution channel, turnover grew by 3.2%, reaching 80 million euros, with an increase in sales of 1%.

In the accessories category, the reference channel in Italy is, without a doubt, represented by hypermarkets, supermarkets and free services. This last sector, represented by small retail outlets, organized like a supermarket but with self-service and payment upon exit, is the one that has grown the most in recent years. In 2022 the increase in sales stood at 6.2%, with an expansion of +19.4%. With an increasingly high demand for products and services for pets, we can also observe the development of a new business model: that of pet shop chains that have joined traditional shops.

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(Featured image by  Couleur via Pixabay)

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