08/02/2012Posted : February 08, 2012
Novartis Animal Health launches Atopica for Cats

Novartis Animal Health has announced the launch of Atopica for Cats (cyclosporine oral solution, 100 mg/ml), a treatment for chronic allergic dermatitis.

This disease, which is one of the most common reasons for pet owners to take cats to the veterinarian, can be difficult to diagnose and causes itching and associated chewing and licking, skin lesions and loss of hair.

With a similar product already approved and successfully used to treat atopic dermatitis in dogs, Atopica for Cats is the first medication approved in the UK specifically for allergic dermatitis in cats.

Developed specifically for domestic felines, Atopica for Cats is an oral solution that is easy-to-dose and administer. In studies, approximately one-third of cats took the medicine in their food and two-thirds were dosed directly into the mouth. The product offers a unique mode of action that specifically targets immune cells such as the T-lymphocytes involved in the allergic reaction. In this way, Atopica for Cats blocks the production of inflammatory cytokines, molecules that fuel the allergic response, breaking the recurrent itch/scratch cycle.

Keith Hnilica, author of Small Animal Dermatology: A Color Atlas and Therapeutic Guide (3rd ed), said: "Atopica for Cats has the potential to change how our profession treats the itchy cat. For the first time ever, we have a safe, highly effective, approved treatment for cats with allergic dermatitis. And because Atopica for Cats is not a corticosteroid, I can prescribe it for long-term use without worrying about the health risks that can be associated with steroids."

Atopica for Cats offers an advanced alternative to steroids, avoiding the potential health risks associated with corticosteroids, which in cats include marked cutaneous atrophy, skin fragility, congestive heart failure and increased susceptibility to diabetes mellitus.