Vivani Medical (NASDAQ:VANI) and Okava Pharmaceuticals today announced an expansion of their ongoing collaboration to develop OKV-119, a long-acting GLP-1 therapy, for weight management, diabetes, and other cardiometabolic conditions in dogs.
The companies initially partnered in 2019 to focus on developing the same therapy for cats.
OKV-119 utilizes Vivani’s proprietary NanoPortal™ technology, which enables the consistent and prolonged release of therapeutic molecules, such as GLP-1 receptor agonists, from a single implant.
Okava anticipates that the therapy will require dosing only once every six months or longer, aligning with a "One-and-Done" approach similar to Vivani’s human clinical-stage product, NPM-115, designed for chronic weight management.
According to Okava, this infrequent dosing schedule aims to improve medication adherence and tolerability in canine patients.
The company highlights that over half of all dogs in the United States are overweight or obese, putting them at higher risk for chronic diseases and shortened lifespans.
Okava believes that by restoring and maintaining a healthy metabolism through a single, long-acting dose, OKV-119 has the potential to significantly improve the quality of life and promote healthy aging in dogs, potentially becoming the most impactful life-extending therapy available for the species.
The financial details of the expanded collaboration were not disclosed in the announcement.