Drug that could 'extend life' of dogs set to be available by 2026

There's a life-extending drug in development for dogs which could increase the number of years you have with them.

Sounds great, doesn't it? Many people would give a lot to find a way for their perfect pooch to be in their life for a few more years and such a thing could be coming soon enough.

At least that's the ruff idea from American biotech company Loyal, which was founded with the idea of creating a drug that could extend the life of a dog.

It created a drug named LOY-001 (no prizes for guessing how they came up with that) which it reckons could help larger dogs live longer.

According to Loyal's research, the bigger the dog the shorter the expected lifespan, with larger dogs living for between seven and 10 years on average while the smaller breeds could live for between 14 and 16 years.

Big dogs tend to have shorter lives than smaller ones, a drug in development is trying to change that (Getty Stock Image)

After four years of studies on the drug with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Loyal found that the drug 'improved clinically-relevant aging parameters', which has led it to believe it could help the lifespan of bigger breeds of dog.

However, before you start trying to find this one on the pharmacy shelves, Loyal is expecting that it won't get full conditional approval until 2026, after which the company can start selling it.

How does this work then? Here's the science-y bit.

Dogs have a hormone called IGF-1 which is found in greater quantities in larger dogs and is thought to cause them to grow to a larger size at a young age, but once they get older could accelerate their aging and cause them to die sooner.

The LOY-001 drug is meant to significantly reduce IGF-1 levels, which theoretically should stop bigger dogs from getting old quickly which in turn ought to help them live longer.

The drug is supposed to tackle a hormone called IGF-1, which is thought to help big dogs grow a lot when they're young but could cause them to age and die sooner (Getty Stock Image)

The drug would be injected by a vet every three to six months and Loyal founder Celine Halioua said it could be huge for bigger dogs in later life.

She explained: "Each milestone we’ve achieved in this methodical, evidence-based process has demonstrated steady progress toward our vision of helping dogs live longer and stay healthy as they age.

"This one is especially important because it marks a key step toward FDA approval based on credible, carefully reviewed data.

"This process will make it possible for us to bring our products into veterinary clinics everywhere, and lead the charge on a new approach to age-related disease and decline.

"That will ultimately mean more healthy years for the dogs we love - and that’s why we’re here."

Maybe one day something similar could be used for humans.