Anti-aging drug for dogs has been developed and is set to be available soon

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The groundbreaking drug is yet to be approved by the FDA in the US, but it is on the path to being so.

Earlier this year, Loyal, the San Francisco biotech company behind the drug, received FDA acceptance for two of three major technical sections needed to get the drug on the market.

They hope to complete the final technical section next year, and be able to apply for FDA Expanded Critical Approval (XCA) next year, which marks a major milestone to making the drug available.

The drug, called LOY-002, is designed for senior dogs aged 10 and over that weigh more than 14 pounds.

It comes in the form of beef-flavoured pills to be taken daily, and they are said to be able to add years to a dog's life.

The pill works by manipulating the IGF-1 (Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1) hormone, which is responsible for cellular growth and metabolism in dogs.

IGF-1 helps a dog grow from being a puppy, but it continues to accelerate cellular growth and aging even when a dog is fully grown.

Loyal's drug helps to reduce excessive IGF-1 levels and hence helps to slow the process of aging.

“Since founding Loyal six years ago, my goal has always been to get the first drug FDA approved for lifespan extension. This safety acceptance brings us very close to achieving that vision,” said Loyal Founder and CEO Celine Halioua.

“We are well on our way to bringing the first dog longevity drugs to market.”