Zoetis Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Solensia™ to control the pain of osteoarthritis (OA) in cats, helping improve their mobility, comfort and overall well-being.1 As a once-monthly injection administered in the veterinary clinic, Solensia keeps OA pain from disrupting the unique bond cats share with their humans. Feline OA, a highly prevalent condition with nearly 40% of all cats showing signs of OA pain,occurs when the protective tissue in the joints (cartilage) is worn down, causing bones to rub together. This makes moving harder and causes severe pain.

Without treatment, OA pain can worsen over time and seriously affect a cat's long-term health and well-being. Less OA pain for cats: Solensia works differently than other available treatments by targeting Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), a key driver of OA pain. NGF activates and perpetuates the pain signal by increasing the release of additional pain and inflammation mediators.

By targeting NGF, Solensia reduces pain signals and effectively controls feline OA pain. After a single treatment, Solensia noticeably reduced OA pain. In fact, 77% of cat owners experienced seeing improvement in signs of pain when their cats were treated monthly with Solensia in a 3-month study, while 67% of cat owners experienced improvement in signs of their cat's pain in the placebo group.

Solensia was found to be well-tolerated: the most common side effects were vomiting and injection site pain. Solensia is expected to be available to veterinarians in the second half of 2022.