Evaluation of a Potential Therapy for Canine Degenerative Myelopathy
The purpose of this study is to evaluate a promising new drug as a treatment for DM with hopes to slow disease progression. Dogs will be administered an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) that will partially silence the production of the protein, superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1). The ASO has been tested in a preclinical setting for safety in dogs. The drug will be injected into the spinal fluid at the low lumbar region of the spinal cord. The study will be randomized and double-blinded; neither the investigator nor the pet owner will know whether the dog receives the drug. Eight dogs will receive the drug and four dogs will receive the vehicle. Based on the randomization design, each dog has a 67 percent chance of receiving the therapy. Specific inclusion criteria include early disease stage, relative good health, no significant findings on spinal cord MRI, homozygosity for the SOD1 mutation and study compliance.
More Information
Name: Joan Coates
Email: coatesj@missouri.edu
Phone: 573-882-7821
Help Future Generations of Dogs
Participate in canine health research by providing samples or by enrolling in a clinical trial. Samples are needed from healthy dogs and dogs affected by specific diseases.
