Kindred Biosciences joins AAEP educational partnersSeptember 4, 2018Kindred Biosciences Inc. has joined the American Association of Equine Practitioners' (AAEP) Educational Partner Program. Educational Partners provide resources and education through the AAEP to equine veterinarians and horse owners to improve animal health and welfare. "KindredBio's partnership with the AAEP brings together two organizations that share a passion for improving equine wellness," said Denise Bevers, co-founder and COO. "Our company is focused on addressing the numerous unmet medical needs that equine veterinarians encounter daily. In addition, many of us at KindredBio are horse owners, so we understand there is no better equine partner than the AAEP." At the upcoming AAEP convention in San Francisco, the company will be the Health and Wellness Initiative sponsor, will underwrite a Sunrise Session, and will have a large presence in the exhibit hall. The company focuses on drug development for cats, dogs, and horses. Equine products in development include a product for control of pyrexia (fever) in horses, which is currently under review by the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine. The company becomes the 11th equine health corporation in the AAEP's Educational Partnership Program. The 10 other AAEP Educational Partners are Boehringer Ingelheim, Cargill, Dechra Veterinary …
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Survey: Feline MCS assessments a missed opportunity for veterinarians?August 16, 2018A recent survey of 111 veterinarians conducted by Kindred Biosciences Inc. found that the majority were not performing feline muscle condition score (MCS) evaluations during physical exams. Body condition scores (BCS) and MCS evaluations are a key part of a complete nutritional assessment for cats, said Christina Fernandez, DVM, MRCVS, DACVECC, professional services veterinarian with Kindred Biosciences. In the survey, 59 percent of veterinarians said they captured BCS during physical exams, but only 14 percent said they perform MCS assessments. "MCS evaluations are a relatively new practice but are increasingly recognized as a best practice in feline care," Dr. Fernandez said. "BCS has been a standard practice for many practitioners, and there are multiple validated scoring systems. Most veterinarians perform a BCS during regular visits, but BCS only evaluates the animal's body fat. MCS evaluations are easy to incorporate into the physical exam and provide extremely valuable information for trending patient body composition status over time. It helps veterinarians watch for any muscle loss over time to ensure our feline patients maintain a healthy body composition — and maybe even offer early warning signs of disease." Muscle loss can be a result of age, illness, and/or injury; no matter …
Kindred Biosciences' Mirataz commercially available in U.S.May 9, 2018Update: this product is now commercially available in the U.S. Kindred Biosciences Inc. has received approval from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for Mirataz (mirtazapine transdermal ointment) for the management of weight loss in cats. Mirtazapine, which blocks specific serotonin and histamine receptors that play a role in appetite and nausea, demonstrated a 3.9 percent increase in body weight in cats with unintended weight loss in as little as 14 days, according to San Francisco-based Kindred. To help improve owner and patient compliance, Mirataz will be available in a topical formulation applied to the inner pinna of a cat's ear. Research shows daily topical application for 14 days resulted in measurable plasma concentrations of mirtazapine in cats, the manufacturer stated. Mirataz offers the confidence of a product approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine, convenience of transdermal application, Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) production quality, known stability, manufacturer technical support, and a practical way to manage feline weight loss without administration of oral medication, according to Valentine S. Williams, DVM, DACVS, director of veterinary affairs at Kindred Biosciences.
