Novel, targeted canine cancer therapy receives US patent

Photo: Maria Sbytova/Adobe Stock

FidoCure, the flagship brand of the One Health Company, has been granted a patent for a novel targeted therapy and biomarker for canine cancer by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The patent covers a new approach to treatment, using mutation profiling to better manage bladder cancer in dogs.¹

The now-patented approach, driven by artificial intelligence (AI), considers real-world evidence from veterinary clinical data and uses it to determine the ideal methodology for therapeutic treatment. Early data reports suggest the new approach may be more efficacious compared to conventional treatment methods.¹

“This patent acknowledges the uniqueness of our approach, which has consistently demonstrated that it can transform outcomes for pet dogs with cancer while improving the quality of life for the patients,” Christina Lopes, cofounder and CEO of the One Health Company and FidoCure, said in a news release.1 "Receiving a patent is an important milestone in our mission to increase access to lifesaving treatments for pet dogs with cancer.”

Each year, 6 million dogs in the US are affected by cancer, and many of them by bladder cancer.¹ Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) is the tumor that affects the bladder, and Atlantic Veterinary Internal Medicine and Oncology (AVIMO) approximates that TCC is diagnosed in 80,000 dogs each year.² Biologically speaking, canine cancer is relatively similar to human cancer, but, according to FidoCure, treatment and care for canine cancer is about 20 years behind humans.¹

“Bladder cancer [treatment] in dogs is an unmet need,” Gerald Post, DVM, MEM, CACVIM, chief medical officer of One Health, said in a news release.¹ “Traditional chemotherapy and radiation therapy are often ineffective, cause toxic side effects, and are expensive.”

The patent, No. 12036281-B2, protects FidoCure’s technology for 20 years following its priority date.1 Lopes, alongside her FidoCure cofounder Benjamin Lewis and other key team members, are named as inventors on the patent. The company currently has an additional 8 pending patents, covering novel therapeutics and biomarkers, and will be seeking approval from the FDA for their products in the near future, according to the release.¹

FidoCure came together with the goal to improve outcomes for canine cancer patients. More specifically, the founders wanted to put an end to blanket chemotherapy and radiation treatments, regardless of cancer type, citing the use of target therapies in human oncology. They’ve since partnered with a board of medical and veterinary advisors with multidisciplinary knowledge, spanning the fields of human and canine oncology.³

Among the company’s achievements is the FidoCure Next Generation Sequencing Test, through which the results allow care providers to better customize treatment options using targeted therapies. In early 2022, FidoCure partnered with IDEXX, a company focused on global pet healthcare innovation, to provide access to the test to its’ veterinary clients throughout the US and Canada.⁴

References

1. FidoCure Receives Patent for AI-Driven Drug Development, Accelerating a Novel Portfolio of Precision Therapeutic for Cancer. News release. FidoCure. August 13, 2024. Accessed August 15, 2024. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240813574729/en/FidoCure-Receives-Patent-for-AI-Driven-Drug-Development-Accelerating-a-Novel-Portfolio-of-Precision-Therapeutic-for-Cancer
2. Understanding Bladder Cancer in Dogs. American Veterinary Internal Medicine and Oncology. Accessed August 15, 2024. https://avim.us/bladder-cancer-in-dogs/
3. FidoCure. AI Driven Precision Medicine Platform for Canine Cancer. One Health Company. Accessed August 15, 2024. https://fidocure.com/
4. One Health Company partners with IDEXX to enhance canine cancer care. dvm360. January 20, 2022. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.dvm360.com/view/one-health-company-partners-with-idexx-to-enhance-canine-cancer-care