If you have a large dog over seven years old who is in good health, they could qualify to be in an expanded study that is led by researchers from Texas A&M’s veterinary college. This is due to a $7 million dollar federal grant to continue studying a drug’s ability to extend the lives of companion dogs. An A&M news release says the drug Rapamycin, in small doses, improves cardiac function in dogs. The study that is part of The Dog Aging Project (DAP) currently involves 170 dogs from around the country. The additional funding expands the total number of dogs to 580. The minimum weight for dogs to be considered for the study is 44 pounds. Click HERE to be directed to The Dog Aging Project website for more information. News release from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences: Researchers led by the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) have received $7 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand a clinical trial studying rapamycin’s ability to extend the lives of companion dogs as part of The Dog Aging Project (DAP). The DAP is a collaborative, community scientist-driven, data-gathering research project that launched in 2019 as a joint effort between the University of Washington School of Medicine and Texas A&M, with other collaborating institutions. It enrolls companion dogs from all backgrounds to study the effects of aging and gain a better understanding of what contributes to a long and healthy canine life, which also helps to expand medical knowledge surrounding human aging. To date, more than 50,000 dogs have been enrolled in the study. Test of Rapamycin In Aging Dogs (TRIAD) is the third DAP clinical trial involving rapamycin, a generic drug that has long been used as an immunosuppressant during organ transplants in people. Previous DAP studies have shown that in small doses, the drug appears to improve cardiac function in dogs. “As both people and animals age, the heart begins to stiffen, making it beat less effectively because it cannot fully relax between beats,” said Dr. Kate Creevy, DAP chief veterinary officer and a professor in the VMBS’ Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences. “Evidence from laboratory studies suggests that rapamycin can improve heart muscle function, cognitive function, and mobility, as well as extending lifespan.” “So far, we’ve enrolled 170 dogs in the trial and have 20 sites where owners can participate,” she said. “With this new funding, we’re hoping to expand the number of participating dogs to 580 and add new locations across the country.” While the trial’s immediate focus is supporting healthy aging in dogs, the results of TRIAD will also benefit human anti-aging medicine. “Dogs experience many of the age-related cognitive, sensory, neuropathologic and mobility changes that are common in older humans. The possibility that rapamycin might delay any of the alterations that contribute to cognitive impairment and functional decline is very exciting and has huge translational potential,” said Dr. May Reed, a geriatrician at the University of Washington School of Medicine and another primary investigator in the study, along with Dr. Rozalyn Anderson at the University of Wisconsin. “This similarity makes research into canine health mutually beneficial — we get to learn how to support both dog and human aging at the same time. Our research is also powered by owners’ commitments to the health of their dogs, and that’s what makes our work both possible and meaningful,” Creevy said. “We’re very grateful to them.” Rapamycin And Anti-Aging Rapamycin, also called sirolimus, has most often been used during kidney transplants to help the donation recipient’s body accept the new organ. However, the DAP’s research shows promising evidence that small doses of the drug also help to mitigate or delay the diseases of aging. “Rapamycin works by modifying the cells’ energy balance and energy handling,” Creevy said. “It seems to mimic the effects that happen in people or animals who do intermittent fasting. There is a lot of interest in intermittent fasting as a technique that can improve health, particularly healthy aging, and some of the pharmaceutical effects of rapamycin make the same changes at the cellular level.” While dogs don’t share all of the common diseases of aging in humans — like coronary artery disease, the main cause of heart attacks — there is hope that rapamycin might help human patients dealing with heart disease because of how it improves the heart’s muscle function. “Improving overall heart muscle health has the potential to delay the onset of heart disease or make it easier to manage,” Creevy said. “For example, a heart that is in good health is more likely to be able to compensate for the damage caused by a heart attack.” Participating In TRIAD TRIAD is currently seeking to expand the number of dogs enrolled in the trial. To be considered, a dog needs to be over 7 years old, be in good general health, and weigh at least 44 pounds (20 kg). Owners also need to bring their dog to one of TRIAD’s participating clinical sites every six months for three years, after an initial visit to record baseline health information. Current sites include neurology and cardiology centers around the country, with more sites expected to be added soon. The sites are in: • Lawndale, CA • San Francisco, CA • Fort Collins, CO • Wheat Ridge, CO • Middletown, CT • Naples, FL • Athens, GA • Ames, IA • Urbana, IL • Overland Park, KS • North Grafton, MA • Brooklyn, NY • College Station, TX • North Dallas, TX • Everett, WA • Pullman, WA • Madison, WI Dogs enrolled in TRIAD must first enroll in the DAP’s study of overall health and aging in dogs, which requires owners to complete a health and life experience survey for their pet and update that information on an annual basis. “We acknowledge that participating in a clinical trial like TRIAD represents a commitment on the part of the owners […]
The academic leadership team at Texas A&M University continues to change.