BY: SAMANTHA BARTLETT, DVM

Elanco announced it has developed a monoclonal antibody treatment for canine parvovirus designed to shorten disease duration and reduce the severity of symptoms. The single-dose intravenous injection binds the virus directly and prevents invasion of the virus into the cell. 

Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody currently only has conditional approval, but is available to veterinarians while full approval is pending. Elanco says they expect the USDA to grant full approval sometime in 2024. Elanco’s efficacy study included 28 8-week-old puppies with a 0% mortality rate from parvovirus. The drug is shown to be safe for puppies as young as 6 weeks of age. 

The drug is currently part of the parvo protocol at The Fix Project, a non-profit clinic in Long Beach, California that specializes in parvovirus. Staff members there have seen great results with an average hospitalization of 3-5 days vs 5-7 days with just supportive care. The successfulness of the treatment is not only a satisfying outcome for pet owners, but has had a positive impact on the mental health of the staff as well.