EC22-007: EIDD-2801 (Molnupiravir): determination of oral dosage and confirmation of its efficacy in cats with FIP

Original article: EC22-007: EIDD-2801 (Molnupiravir): establishing an oral dose and evidence for efficacy in cats with FIP

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a highly fatal viral disease of cats with a worldwide incidence. Several antiviral agents have recently been shown to be promising in the treatment of cats with FIP. Despite these findings, there is currently no legal FIP treatment approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), so many owners turn to unlicensed antivirals purchased online. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, several antiviral drugs have recently been approved for oral use in human patients. One of these antivirals is the nucleoside analog EIDD-2801 (molnupiravir). EIDD-2801 causes hypermutation of developing viral RNA, effectively terminating the viral replication of many different RNA viruses. This antiviral agent has been developed for oral use in human patients at home. The use of EIDD-2801 in human medicine may facilitate veterinary use. An orally administered antiviral compound would be advantageous for the treatment of cats with FIP administered to a client. We will determine the effective oral dosage of EIDD-2801 and evaluate the efficacy of this compound in the home treatment of cats owned by a client with naturally occurring effusive FIP.

(Bria Fund)

Grant ID: EC22-007
Status: Active
Year: 2022
Grant amount: $33,550
Investigator: Brian Murphy, DVM, PhD, Dip ACP; Krystle Reagan, DVM, PhD, Dip ACVIM (SAIM); University of California, Davis

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