How Does Scout’s Treatment Work? Scout Bio is leading the industry, positioned at the forefront of one-time treatments for pets. By combining world-leading talent in animal health and gene therapy technology, Scout Bio has built an impressive development platform for the treatment of chronic diseases. Scout Bio is supported by leading life sciences investors and a partnership with the renowned Gene Therapy Program at the University of Pennsylvania.
The therapy used in Scout Bio’s field study is designed to instruct the cat’s body to produce a modified feline hormone called Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) by itself.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), is a hormone secreted from the intestinal tract in response to the presence of food. GLP-1 enhances insulin secretion and also protects beta cells from injury.
In humans with type 2 diabetes, the effect of GLP-1 is severely reduced or absent, contributing to the development of excessive levels of blood glucose.
GLP-1 analog drugs, such as Byetta® and Trulicity® among others, have been used for successful management of Type 2 diabetes in humans for years and have been shown to be as effective as insulin in improving control of blood sugar while reducing body weight.
GLP-1 treatment has many beneficial effects but the very short half-life of the hormone has been a significant limitation to its use in cats. By recruiting a few of the cat’s muscle cells to produce the GLP-1, our treatment may be able to overcome that limitation.
There are two early stage clinical pilot trials underway to evaluate this new therapy. The first study will evaluate whether this treatment is able to work as a stand-alone treatment for feline diabetes, or whether it will provide for improved management along with insulin and possibly allow for a reduction in the frequency of amount of insulin needed to maintain normal blood sugar values. The second study will evaluate whether this treatment, along with insulin dosing and a low carbohydrate food, can induce a higher rate of remission, and possibly a longer lasting remission of feline diabetes than insulin therapy and diet alone.
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