Understanding hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in cats

Joshua Stern, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Cardiology), associate dean for research and graduate studies at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Raleigh, discussed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCP) in felines and a novel therapy for managing the condition—sirolimus delayed-release tablets (Felycin-CA1; PRN Pharmacal)—during the official launch of the drug at the Hermitage Farm in Goshen, Kentucky. In a presentation at the farm, Stern provided insights about the condition and shared recent data and ongoing research efforts, including the HALT Study with more than 200 cats currently enrolled.

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In a dvm360 interview, Stern explained the need for medication to manage the disease. Additional information about HCP is being presented during the 2025 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Forum in Louisville, Kentucky,

The following is a transcript of the video:

Joshua Stern, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Cardiology):Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is an incredibly common disease in cats. It afflicts about 1 in 7 cats and has some pretty incredibly bad disease outcomes, including congestive heart failure, thromboembolic disease and sudden cardiac death. So, the ability to look for a compound that might mitigate those bad disease outcomes is really important to feline medicine and veterinary medicine overall.