FidoCure Study Unlocks Breakthroughs in Deadliest Dog Cancer
Researchers at FidoCure and Stanford University have published a peer-reviewed article in Nature Scientific Reports titled, "Real-world evidence couples genomic biomarkers with therapeutic outcomes for canine hemangiosarcoma,” revealing how genomic profiling and targeted therapies can significantly improve patient outcomes for the largest unmet need for dogs: cancer.
The study analyzed data from 508 pet dog patients enrolled in the FidoCure® Precision Medicine Platform with splenic hemangiosarcoma (HSA) and revealed survival benefits to patients treated with precision therapeutics. These findings highlight the value of using genomic profiling to personalize targeted therapy selection for canine cancer, as well as for genetically analogous human cancers, like human angiosarcoma.
"This study demonstrates the power of precision medicine in oncology, which we have known for decades is key in human patients, and now adds the dimension of cross-species comparisons," said George Demetri, MD, professor of medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. "We're seeing tangible benefits of tailoring treatments to a dog's specific tumor profile, which could revolutionize how we approach cancer care for our canine companions. This also opens up the future dimensions of how we might learn lessons from our companion animals that could inform our research and therapies for humans with some of the most relentless cancers that afflict both humans and dogs. A big opening is clear for new research and therapy initiatives."
Hemangiosarcoma is the biggest unmet need for dogs, with patients that receive the fatal diagnosis often euthanized shortly after. The study is the first to reveal the relationships between specific genetic mutations, the use of targeted therapies, and survival outcomes for this canine cancer. The findings mark a significant advancement for precision medicine in veterinary oncology and further support the role of genomics in guiding more effective, individualized cancer care to transform one of the most aggressive cancers in dogs.
Key findings include:
- The use of targeted therapies drove a 1.8-fold improvement in median survival compared to surgery alone; when combined with chemotherapy, this improvement increased to 2.6-fold.
- We can predict survival benefit and treatment response by decoding specific genetic mutations—such as p53 and PIK3CA. In particular, the study found that NRAS mutations mark a distinct and less aggressive subtype of HSA, even after accounting for co-existing, high-risk mutations—suggesting genomic subtyping can play a key role in treatment plans.
- This study provides rationale and proof of concept that canine HSA can be used as a preclinical “model” to investigate the human correlate, angiosarcoma, a rare cancer where clinical trials are limited by difficulty with patient recruitment and mice models are not predictive. Canine trials can inform human drug programs aimed at advancing treatments and biomarkers in this scenario. FidoCure has already played a role in angiosarcoma for humans alongside global pharma Eisai.
"This study represents a major step forward in clinical care for canine hemangiosarcoma," said Christina Lopes, founder and CEO of FidoCure. "By leveraging AI, advanced genomic profiling, and targeted therapies, we are transforming a deadly cancer in dogs into a second chance at life—and gaining valuable insights for rare human cancers too.”
This is FidoCure’s 4th peer-reviewed paper in two years and their second major study on hemangiosarcoma. The first HSA study, published in Veterinary and Comparative Oncology, was recognized as one of the Top 10 Most-Cited Articles of 2023 for the leading veterinary publication. Together, these studies provide some of the most comprehensive real-world data available for this cancer type, and they are helping to redefine what’s possible in oncology—for both sides of the leash.
ABOUT FIDOCURE
FidoCure is an AI-driven precision oncology company transforming cancer in dogs through novel targeted therapies. FidoCure has created the world’s largest canine cancer dataset, with over 2 billion data points collected from patients treated in its network of 1,350 veterinary clinics worldwide.
Source: www.fidocure.com
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