EpoCat

EpoCat (NV-02) is a recombinant feline erythropoietin (rfEPO) therapeutic candidate developed for the management of anemia secondary to chronic kidney disease (CKD) in feline patients. In cats with CKD, the kidneys fail to produce sufficient erythropoietin, leading to decreased red blood cell production. While human recombinant erythropoietin (rhEPO) or darbepoetin alfa are sometimes used in veterinary medicine, their use is limited by the high risk of immunogenicity, where the cat's immune system develops antibodies against the foreign human protein, potentially causing irreversible pure red cell aplasia. EpoCat is engineered to be identical to the natural feline erythropoietin protein, utilizing Nexvet's proprietary PETization platform to ensure species-specific compatibility and reduce the risk of antibody formation. The project was part of Nexvet's pipeline prior to its acquisition by Zoetis in 2017.

Brand names

EpoCat

Other names

recombinant feline erythropoietinrfEPO