Aratana Therapeutics receives FDA approval of canine appetite stimulus

Images courtesy of Aratana TherapeuticsAratana Therapeutics Inc. has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) of Entyce-a first-of-its-kind ghrelin receptor agonist that stimulates appetite in dogs-according to a company release.

Entyce, a new chemical entity, works by mimicking the hunger hormone ghrelin to stimulate appetite. The prescription medication is a flavored liquid that is administered orally.

“Nearly 10 million dogs are diagnosed with inappetence each year and we believe Entyce will fulfill a significant unmet need to stimulate appetite in dogs,” says Steven St. Peter, MD, president and chief executive officer of Aratana Therapeutics, in the release. Aratana is reportedly planning a February 2017 commercial launch of Entyce in order to coincide with the North American Veterinary Conference.