A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multisite, parallel-group field study in dogs with osteoarthritis conducted in the United States of America evaluating bedinvetmab, a canine anti-nerve growth factor monoclonal antibody.

Objective: Bedinvetmab, a fully canine anti-nerve growth factor monoclonal antibody, was evaluated in dogs for control of osteoarthritis-related pain in a study conducted to support registration in the USA.

Study Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, parallel-group study.

Animals: General practice client-owned dogs with osteoarthritis (n = 272).

Methods: Dogs were block randomized 1:1 to placebo (saline, n = 137) or bedinvetmab (n = 135; 0.5-1.0 mg kg) administered subcutaneously, once monthly. The primary end point, day 28 Canine Brief Pain Inventory (CBPI) treatment success (TS), required pain severity score (PSS; 0-10) decrease ≥1 and pain interference score (PIS; 0-10) decrease ≥ 2. CBPI TS rates [and number needed to treat (NNT)], change in scores [and standardized effect size (ES)], change in quality of life (QoL) and bedinvetmab half-life were calculated.

Results: Significant (p < 0.05) improvement with bedinvetmab over placebo occurred (days 28, 42, 56, 84) for CBPI TS. Of cases evaluable for day 28 CBPI TS (placebo, n = 131; bedinvetmab, n = 128), success rates were 36.6% and 47.4%, respectively (p = 0.0410) (NNT, 9.3; PSS and PIS ES, 0.3). CBPI TS increased after the second dose in both groups, plateaued for bedinvetmab at day 42 and decreased for placebo beginning day 84. Day 84 NNT (4.3), PSS (0.4) and PIS (0.5) showed continued improvement with monthly dosing. After the first dose, mean (± standard deviation) bedinvetmab half-life was 19.1 (8.3) days. Adverse events were similar between groups and not considered treatment-related. There was a significant effect of bedinvetmab versus placebo on all CBPI components (PIS, PSS, QoL).

Conclusions And Clinical Relevance: These results corroborated those previously reported and provide further support of safety and effectiveness of bedinvetmab (0.5-1.0 mg kg) administered subcutaneously at monthly intervals to dogs for control of osteoarthritis-related pain.