Weight-loss drugs for pets: GLP-1 treatments tested on overweight cats as pet economy shifts
Two U.S. biotech companies, Akston Biosciences and OKAVA Pharmaceuticals, are testing experimental GLP-1 weight-loss treatments for overweight cats, marking an early attempt to bring blockbuster human obesity drugs into veterinary medicine. Akston is sponsoring a Cornell University clinical study of a once-weekly GLP-1 therapy, while OKAVA is testing a long-acting implant delivering medication for up to six months in a trial called 'MEOW-1.' Neither product is approved yet. The effort comes as 61% of cats evaluated by U.S. vets in 2022 were overweight or obese. Industry analysts say this fits a broader transformation of the $200 billion U.S. pet economy from premiumization into medicalization, with pet-food giants also investing in longevity and therapeutic nutrition products. Top-line trial results are expected later in 2026.
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