Evaluating a New Treatment for Canine Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OSA) affects more than 10,000 dogs annually. While some dogs respond well to surgical amputation of the affected limb followed by chemotherapy, other dogs may not be good candidates for this treatment approach. To fill this treatment gap and expand treatment options, researchers are working on developing a novel combination of two immunotherapies that will help stimulate a dog’s immune system to kill cancerous OSA cells.  The team will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of this treatment in giant-breed dogs diagnosed with appendicular OSA that are not good candidates for standard-of-care amputation. By establishing safety and determining the efficacy of this combination, the team will generate a new treatment option for canine OSA which may not require the amputation of a limb. The team also will generate preliminary data necessary for a subsequent submission of an Investigational New Animal Drug Application to the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine. Successful completion of this study will achieve key developmental steps to set the stage for further advancement of a combination vaccine and cellular therapy treatment to improve outcomes in giant-breed dogs diagnosed with appendicular OSA.