Back to All Studies

Degenerative myelopathy is a neurodegenerative condition that causes paralysis in older dogs. The disease is associated with a genetic mutation that causes a protein called superoxide dismutase (SOD1) to accumulate within nerve cells, ultimately causing death of the cell. In a small targeted clinical trial of four dogs diagnosed with degenerative myelopathy, researchers will evaluate the safety of a novel gene silencing treatment to help prevent the buildup of SOD1. This study is a critical step before launching a larger clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of this novel treatment for this fatal disease. Identifying a safe and effective treatment for degenerative myelopathy will have an immediate impact for affected dogs and possibly open doors to other new therapies using the novel gene silencing technology.

Study ID
D19CA-033
Study Status
Complete
Start Date
12/01/2018
Grant amount awarded
$122,256
Grant recipient
North Carolina State University
Study country
United States
Investigator
Natasha J Olby, VetMB, PhD
Study category
Neurology (Brain and Spinal Cord)