I’ve been confronted with one of the most terrible events in my life – my cat has been recently diagnosed with PIF. This is when I entered the interesting world of a miracle drug called GG-441524 which is the only one out there that can cure this terrible disease of our little furry friends.
What is FIP?
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a viral disease of cats caused by certain strains of a virus called the feline coronavirus. Feline coronavirus strains are mostly present in the gastrointestinal tract and generally do not lead to severe diseases. These are commonly known as feline enteric coronavirus (FeCV).
Cats infected with FeCV usually remain asymptomatic during the initial viral infection, but they may sometimes experience short bouts of diarrhea and mild upper respiratory signs.
However, they tend to recover from these symptoms without any treatment.
When cats get infected with FeCV, their immune system usually responds by producing antibodies against the virus within 7-10 days. But in some cases, about 10% of infected cats, the virus may mutate and start infecting white blood cells, which then spread the virus throughout the cat’s body. This mutated virus is called FIPV.
FIPV causes an intense inflammatory reaction around vessels in the tissues where the infected cells locate, which usually happens in the abdomen, kidney, or brain.
The interaction between the body’s immune system and the virus is what causes the development of FIP. Once a cat develops clinical FIP, the disease usually progresses and is almost always fatal without therapy. Although treatment has recently become available, it has not yet been approved by the FDA to treat FIP in cats.
The nucleoside analog GS-441524 for treatment of cats with FIP
Antiviral drugs have become an important aspect of treating RNA and DNA viral infections in humans. However, the development of such drugs for animal infections, especially those affecting cats, has been slower.
Fortunately, small-molecule drugs like GS-441524, which weigh less than 900 daltons and measure around 1 nm in size, can easily penetrate cells and interact with key target molecules.
Research shows that GS-441524 is a safe and effective treatment for Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). The recommended dosage is 4.0 mg/kg SC q24h, administered for at least 12 weeks.
