Elanco enters research agreement to address CKD in cats and explore lifespan extension in pets
The first phase of the project will focus on targeted gene therapy to treat chronic kidney disease in felines
Photo: V&P Photo Studio/Adobe Stock
Elanco recently announced a research agreement to treat chronic kidney disease (CKD) in cats and investigate approaches to prolong lifespan in pets. The collaboration will be between Elanco and WEDterinary LLC, a recently formed research engine aimed at developing innovative solutions to pet health care.
In the first phase of the project, the focus will be on the several high-potential programs using targeted gene therapy to treat CKD in felines. Researchers will also explore new avenues to extend the healthy lifespan of pets. According to Elanco, the shift toward younger generations of pet owners, along with the increased time spent with pets during the COVID-19 pandemic, has led to rising expectations of care and a willingness to invest in protecting pet health.1
In a news release by Elanco, William (Bill) F. Doyle, MBA, executive chairman of Novocure, and cofounder of WEDterinary LLC, expressed his enthusiasm about the new collaboration. “I believe combining Elanco’s expertise with the latest platforms and capabilities under development for human health can create opportunities to revolutionize pet care,” he said.1
“Elanco is excited to partner with WEDterinary to pioneer new spaces in animal health using new technologies like gene therapy and AI,” Ellen de Brabander, PhD, executive vice president of R&D and Regulatory Affairs at Elanco Animal Health, added.1 “We believe Bill’s experience with Novocure and his history of bringing transformational, non-traditional innovation approaches to the market can unlock emerging innovation opportunities. Ultimately, the partnership increases our research capacity to refill our innovation pipeline and drive a consistent flow of high impact innovation to improve the lives of pets and their families.”
Leadership changes in Elanco
Elanco also announced that John P. (JP) Bilbrey, Kathy Turner, and Craig Wallace will not seek reelection to the Board of Directors when their terms end at the 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Additionally, due to his research agreement with Elanco, Doyle has resigned from the Board. According to Elanco, Doyle will continue advising Elanco on animal health innovations related to the research areas the agreement is focusing on.
“I’m grateful to my fellow Board members and Elanco leadership for the robust engagement these last years as we navigated Elanco’s standup, integration and the creation of a global, independent animal health leader that I’m confident is well positioned for long-term sustained growth,” Bilbrey said in the release.1 “With the late-stage pipeline delivered, the strategy streamlined and commercialization well underway, now is the right time for me to retire.”
Paul Herendeen, MBA has been recommended by the Corporate Governance Committee to replace Bilbrey as chair of the finance, strategy, and oversight committee. In 2020, Herendeen joined the board of Elanco as an investor representative with experience in finance and the animal health and pharma industries. Among the new addition’s the company’s Board is also Stacey Ma, PhD. Ma is currently the head of pharmaceutical development and manufacturing at Gilead Sciences, a biotechnology research company.
References
- Elanco announces changes to board of directors; signs research agreement to explore novel therapies for chronic kidney disease and life extension in pets. News release. Elanco Animal Health Incorporated. March 17, 2025. Accessed April 9, 2025. https://www.elanco.com/en-us/insights/elanco-announces-changes-to-board-of-directors-signs-research-agreement
