METriC: Treatment of epilepsy in dogs with an antisense oligonucleotide against miRNA-134
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study: Help for dogs and people with epilepsy that do not respond to common antiepileptic drugs:
Epilepsy in Dogs Epilepsy is the most common neurological disease in dogs. Up to a third of epileptic dogs do not respond to conventional anti-epileptic drugs, affecting their quality of life and causing significant anxiety in owners.
Epilepsy in Humans Temporal lobe epilepsy is an acquired form of epilepsy that results from a complex mix of cellular and molecular changes. It is the most common type of epilepsy in adults and, as in dogs, up to a third of epileptic patients do not respond to conventional antiepileptic drugs. There is therefore a need for new drugs that work differently.
What is a clinical research study? Clinical trials evaluate medical treatments to ensure they are safe and effective before they are approved and released to the general public. Studies are carefully designed and monitored with dog safety as the top priority.
About this study This study will test how safe and effective a new drug is in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy that do not respond to conventional antiepileptic medications. This medication has not previously been used in dogs or humans.
The study drug The study drug (called Ant-134) suppresses a molecule called miRNA-134. MiRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that regulate protein levels in cells. The brain expresses several unique miRNAs that are critical for development and function, including regulating neuronal structures such as dendritic spines and thus influencing synaptic transmission. Initial results in other species showed long-lasting seizure control without side effects. It is administered as a single injection into the cerebrospinal fluid under general anesthesia.
Is your dog suitable for the study?
Your dog with epilepsy must meet the following criteria to take part in the study:
Age: over 2 years Weight over 5 kg Diagnosis of idiopathic epilepsy with a normal MRI finding and normal CSF More than 4 seizures per month, despite the use of at least two anti-epileptic drugs Otherwise classified as healthy Random assignment The dogs are randomly assigned (as in throwing one Coin) assigned to one of the study groups. One group receives the study drug, the other a placebo. The placebo looks exactly like the study drug but does not contain any active ingredient. Neither the dog owner nor the study veterinarian know who is receiving the study drug and who is receiving the placebo. At the end of the study, the study drug will be offered to the dogs that received the placebo if there is evidence of its safety and effectiveness.
Your responsibility Participation in the study is voluntary. Before your dog takes part in the study, you will read and sign a consent form in which you agree that your dog will take part in the study. This is not a contract and you may withdraw from the study at any time for any reason.
You must attend study appointments at the University of Glasgow Small Animal Hospital. You will also need to record your dog's seizures and send us this information once a month.
Events:
Day of Treatment: Your dog will remain in the hospital for at least 2 days Day 15: Day Visit Day 45: Day Visit Day 90: Day Visit Day 180: Day Visit Costs The study drug and all study-related procedures will be provided FREE of charge.
Benefits of Participating Clinical trials offer hope in an otherwise hopeless situation. This study offers the opportunity to gain new knowledge that could potentially help many dogs and perhaps even people with epilepsy in the future.
More information about previous studies:
https://www.nature.com/articles/nm.2834
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352396419304438
Click here for the University of Glasgow study: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/bohvm/sah/referralhospital/services/neurology/epilepsyclinicaltrial/#:~:text=About%20this%20study,in% 20dogs%20or%20humans%20before.
Summary of new study on epilepsy in dogs from the University of Glasgow
Epilepsy in dogs is a serious problem, and the METriC study addresses this very issue. Epilepsy in dogs affects up to a third of all affected animals that do not respond to conventional medications. The study focuses on epilepsy in dogs in order to develop new treatment methods. Because epilepsy in dogs significantly impacts quality of life, finding more effective treatments is critical.
Research into canine epilepsy shows that innovative treatments like Ant-134 are urgently needed. Epilepsy in dogs is often treated with conventional medications, but their effectiveness is limited. By studying epilepsy in dogs, it is also hoped that progress will be made in the treatment of human epilepsy. Epilepsy in dogs thus provides a model for medical research.
Understanding epilepsy in dogs is essential for developing new treatments. Epilepsy in dogs is similar to the human disease in many ways, so the study's findings are far-reaching. Treating epilepsy in dogs with Ant-134 could be revolutionary as previous treatments are limited. Using epilepsy in dogs as a model offers new perspectives in neurological research.
Effectively treating epilepsy in dogs would improve the lives of many dogs and their owners. Research into epilepsy in dogs is therefore an important step towards improving animal health. Epilepsy in dogs has not only physical but also emotional effects on the animals and their owners. Therefore, research on epilepsy in dogs is of great importance to the veterinary community. Canine epilepsy is a complex field, and studies such as METriC are critical to understanding and treating it.