I shared a post earlier regarding the terrible, deadly disease that affects cats – FIP. Below, I continue revealing some important information about the only known drug that is able to save your little animal’s life.
GS-441524 – efficacy and results
A vast study on NIH is addressing a particular issue. Gilead Sciences provided GS-441524 as a pure and highly stable powder, which was then diluted to a concentration of 10 or 15 mg/ml in a mixture of 5% ethanol, 30% propylene glycol, 45% PEG 400, and 20% water (pH 1.5 with HCI).
The mixture was placed in sterile 50 ml glass injection bottles, agitated until it was in suspension, and then placed in a sonicated water bath for 5-20 minutes, until it became clear.
The diluted drug was refrigerated and used within 3-4 weeks.
This study aimed to prove that GS-441524 is a safe and effective treatment for cats suffering from Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). Small-molecule drugs like GS-441524 are less than 900 daltons in weight and around 1 nm in size, which makes them capable of entering cells and interacting with key target molecules.
Unlike other substances or drugs that hinder cellular processes that the virus uses for replication, small molecules like GS-441524 directly interfere with the replicative processes of the virus.
The study found that GS-441524 was a safe and effective treatment for FIP, with the optimum dosage being 4.0 mg/kg SC q24h for at least 12 weeks.
Gilead Sciences developed GS-441524, a nucleoside analog antiviral drug that is the main plasma metabolite of the antiviral prodrug remdesivir. It has a half-life of approximately 24 hours in human patients.
Both Remdesivir and GS-441524 have shown in vitro effectiveness against feline coronavirus strains that cause feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a systemic and often fatal disease that affects domestic cats. While Remdesivir was never tested in cats (although some vets now offer it), GS-441524 has been found to be an effective treatment for FIP.
Despite Gilead’s refusal to license GS-441524 for veterinary use, it is widely used, even though it has not been officially approved by the FDA. In several countries, oral tablets of GS-441524 (and injectable remdesivir) are legally available for vets to use.
