November 15, 1997
LONDON SUBSIDIARY TO MARKET CANINE DRUG
By Eva Janssen -- Free Press Business Reporter
The London subsidiary of New York's Pfizer Inc. will market across Canada
the only approved veterinary medication for behavior problems in older dogs.
Anipryl, a prescription drug originally developed to treat Parkinson's
disease in humans, is approved in Canada to treat canine cognitive
dysfunction syndrome (CDS) and canine Cushing's disease.
The U.S. health-care company announced Friday it has acquired an exclusive
licence to market Anipryl worldwide.
Pfizer Canada's Animal Health Group, headquartered in London, will
supervise marketing the drug to veterinarians, said Jan Hall, a product
manager in the London office.
The medication has been available for about two years through Draxis Animal
Health Inc. of Toronto, formerly Deprenyl Animal Health.
`VERY BENEFICIAL'
"We became involved because one of our key strengths is pharmaceuticals,"
Hall said. "We saw this as a product that could be very beneficial to the
dog population."
Fourteen per cent of the Canadian dog population is considered elderly at
seven years old (although a small dog -- weighing less than 20 pounds --
becomes senior at nine to 13 years of age.)
Two per cent to seven per cent of older dogs may have CDS or canine
Cushing's disease, but many owners accept symptoms as normal aging, Hall said.
Dogs with CDS, an Alzheimer's-like condition, can lose their ability to
respond to family members, have sleeping problems, become confused and
disoriented and forget their house training.
Cushing's disease can afflict dogs of all breeds, mostly older animals.
Symptoms include changes in appetite, excessive thirst, frequent urination,
excessive panting, hair loss and other skin condition changes.
Anipryl (selegiline hydrochloride) helps restore balance of brain
chemicals, especially dopamine, which is critical to healthy behavior. The
drug may also help decrease toxic compounds in the brain and help heal
injured nerve cells.
"It doesn't make an old dog young, but it makes an old dog feel better,"
said Jack Rosen, president of the London Veterinary Association.
NO SIDE-EFFECTS SEEN
Rosen has about 10 clients' dogs on the drug, which is administered in
tablets daily for the rest of their lives. Rosen said he hasn't noticed any
side-effects so far.
Although the drug is "fairly expensive" -- roughly $60-$70 a month for a
66-pound dog -- the results are worth the cost, Rosen said.
"Within a month, you do notice a difference," he said. "It just makes them
happier, better pets."
Hall said Pfizer is focusing on its "compassionate care" sector, developing
products to help pet animals deal with pain.
Pfizer expects to spend more than $1.9 billion US in research and
development this year, the company said in a release.
The London office employs about 20 people who market animal health products
for livestock and pets. The company also has a manufacturing plant on Wilton
Grove Road.
