Study on limb-sparing canine osteosarcoma treatment is underway

Photo: Photography by Adri/Adobe Stock

ELIAS Animal health, a clinical-stage firm specializing in pet cancer treatments, has announced plans to begin a new trial to investigate its adoptive T cell therapy—ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI). The study will explore the effectiveness of ECI paired with a new adjuvant for preserving limbs in large-breed dogs with appendicular osteosarcoma. The study will be carried out by Jeffrey Bryan, PhD, DVM, and Megan Mickelson, DVM, at the University of Missouri (MU).¹

The Canine Osteosarcoma Limb-Sparing Clinical Trial (ECIP-OSA-01), which will receive a grant from the Morris Animal Foundation, will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the combined treatment approach in dogs of large breeds who have received a new diagnosis of appendicular osteosarcoma and who have not received prior treatment for this cancer. The treatment will involve limb-sparing surgery to excise the primary tumor, followed by ECI immunotherapy in combination with the new adjuvant. Additionally, patients will be required to complete a 7-11 week treatment protocol at the MU Veterinary School of Medicine, in Columbia, Missouri, and return for regular follow-up appointments. Moreover, each patient will be monitored for a year following their diagnosis, according to ELIAS.²

"For dogs with appendicular osteosarcoma, amputation of the affected limb followed by chemotherapy is the typical standard of care. However, in certain cases, amputation may not be appropriate," Noe Reyes, DVM, ELIAS chief medical officer, explained in a news release.¹ "In this study, we're evaluating a new approach where the dog is treated with the limb-sparing surgery followed by ECI immunotherapy."

Eligible breeds encompass large to giant-sized dogs, including^1,2:

• Saint Bernard
• Mastiffs (all types)
• Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
• Great Dane
• Leonberger
• Newfoundland
• Anatolian Shepherd
• Rottweiler
• Irish Wolfhound
• Scottish Deerhound
• Great Pyrenees
• Bernese Mountain Dog
• Dogue de Bordeaux
• Cane Corso
• Boerboel
• Golden Retrievers

Moreover, to be eligible, tumors must be located in the distal radius or mid-ulnar area, with no more than one-third of the radius affected. Patients must also be free of metastatic disease at diagnosis. Additionally, pet owners or caregivers must be able and willing to attend all treatment and follow-up appointments at the Veterinary Health Center at the MU.

"Personalized immunotherapy is the greatest advance in cancer in the 21st century," Bryan said in the release.¹ "Successfully combining it with limb-sparing surgery would be a vertical step in osteosarcoma."

According to the company, ECI has shown encouraging results in prior studies on canine osteosarcoma. Earlier this year, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Center for Veterinary Biologics concluded that data from the company's ECI-OSA-04 pivotal study, which assessed the combined safety and efficacy of ECI, showed a reasonable expectation of efficacy.^1,3 The upcoming study seeks to investigate new treatment options that may offer options that could avoid amputation and improve the quality of life for dogs diagnosed with osteosarcoma, according to ELIAS.¹

References

1. ELIAS Animal Health to conduct limb-sparing canine osteosarcoma clinical study with grant from Morris Animal Foundation. News release. ELIAS Animal Health. July 31, 2024. Accessed August 1, 2024. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/elias-animal-health-to-conduct-limb-sparing-canine-osteosarcoma-clinical-study-with-grant-from-morris-animal-foundation-302210521.html
2. Canine Osteosarcoma Limb-Sparing Clinical Trial (ECIP-OSA-01). ELIAS Animal Health. Accessed August 1, 2024. https://eliasanimalhealth.com/clinical-trials/canine-osteosarcoma-limb-sparing/
3. USDA agrees clinical trial data for the ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI®) demonstrates reasonable expectation of efficacy for the treatment of bone cancer in dogs. News release. ELIAS Animal Health. January 17, 2024. Accessed August 1, 2024. https://eliasanimalhealth.com/press-releases/usda-agrees-eci-demonstrates-reasonable-expectation-efficacy-canine-cancer/