Studies Validate Advantages of Administering Drugs to Pets Via IntelGenx’s VetaFilm Platform

IntelGenx Corp. recently announced positive results from a proof-of-concept (POC) study to assess the palatability, owner-perceived acceptability, and ease of repeated administration of IntelGenx’s VetaFilm platform in healthy dogs and cats. The POC study was conducted through a research collaboration with the University Prince Edward Island (UPEI), one of North America’s leading veterinary universities.

The reliable administration of medications to dogs and cats is a concern for many owners and veterinarians. There are few prescribed medications that dogs and cats will eagerly accept. Forced administration of capsules, tablets, and liquids may be stressful for both the pet and its owner(s). Additionally, many owners report that medicating their pet becomes more difficult with each dose, often leading to decreased owner compliance, missed doses and potentially treatment failures. IntelGenx’s VetaFilm-based fast dissolving oral films (VetaFilm FDOFs) present a new and potentially superior way to medicate companion animals.

The research collaboration with UPEI evaluated: (1) the acceptance rate of various VetaFilm placebo formulations in dogs and cats at first exposure; (2) preference between flavours of VetaFilm placebo formulations in dogs and cats; (3) changes in acceptance rates over longer periods; and (4), owner perception of ease of administration, acceptance and other behaviors associated with VetaFilm placebo formulations.

Key findings included:

• The VetaFilm FDOFs were well accepted and well tolerated by both dogs and cats;
• Repeated dosing (twice a day for one week) showed high continued acceptance rates in both species with little or no effect of time on the continued acceptance of the VetaFilm FDOFs;
• Overall, 100% of dog owners and 67% of cat owners felt that administration of the VetaFilm FDOFs was “very easy” or “easy”; and
• 95% of dog owners and 82% of cat owners identified VetaFilm FDOFs as the preferred method of medication administration.

“These results come at an opportune time as we continue to expand our Animal Health business and work toward establishing our proprietary VetaFilm drug delivery platform as a standard administration method for dogs and cats,” said Dwight Gorham, IntelGenx’s CEO. “We would like to thank the esteemed clinicians and researchers at UPEI, the many pet owners, and of course the cherished dogs and cats that participated in these studies.”

In addition to increased compliance and convenience, there are a number of clinical advantages with administering drugs to pets via IntelGenx’s proprietary VetaFilm platform. Studies have demonstrated that, when administering capsules and tablets to dogs and cats, there can be a delay in reaching the stomach. But more importantly, certain medication can cause significant mucosal damage when allowed to sit in the esophagus for a prolonged period, which is often the case when ‘dry-pilling’. Finally, from a pharmacokinetic standpoint, buccal absorption may decrease the overall amount of drug required as first pass metabolism would be largely avoided.

IntelGenx is a leading drug delivery company focused on the development and manufacturing of pharmaceutical films. IntelGenx’s superior film technologies, including VersaFilm, DisinteQ, VetaFilm, and transdermal VevaDerm, allow for next-generation pharmaceutical products that address unmet medical needs. IntelGenx’s innovative product pipeline offers significant benefits to patients and physicians for many therapeutic conditions.

IntelGenx’s highly skilled team provides comprehensive pharmaceuticals services to pharmaceutical partners, including R&D, analytical method development, clinical monitoring, IP and regulatory services. IntelGenx’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility offers full service by providing lab-scale to pilot- and commercial-scale production. For more information, visit www.intelgenx.com.