Humans become guinea pigs for pets

FOR years animals have been used in the testing of medicines and other drugs to treat myriad human afflictions.

In a world first, an Australian biotech company wants to make humans the guinea pigs in the development of drugs to treat cancer, arthritis, chronic pain and other conditions in household pets.

Melbourne-based company Nextvet will mine decades of research and clinical trials into human drugs to convert them into pet-specific versions.

Animals are physiologically very different to humans and, while some human drugs may produce a short-term desired effect in another species, more often than not they result in nasty side effects.

Nextvet has developed a way of converting human monoclonal antibody drugs for pets in a process it has trademarked "PETization".

"We're taking drugs that have been very effective in humans and making them specific for a cat, dog or horse," said Nextvet co-founder Mark Heffernan.
Animal foster carers Sally Ambrose and Sue Seiver from Sawyers Gully Cat Haven near Newcastle know first hand how upsetting it can be to see an animal in pain.

"There's quite a few serious viruses around and there are not even enough tests to find out what's wrong," Ms Ambrose said.

"You go to the vet ... but often you just have to wait it out and hope the animal comes through." (dailytelegraph.com.au)