Useful Links – FIP Cats UK

“UC Davis Drs. Patty Pesavento and Terza Brostof are leading a team of biophysicists, immunologists, and vaccinologists on the development of an mRNA vaccine against feline enteric coronavirus (FECV) and its mutant FIP virus (FIPV) biotype.

This vaccine, based on the technology used to produce modern mRNA vaccine for COVID-19, will hopefully produce sufficient immunity to decrease the incidence and negative outcomes, such as FIP, of FECV infection.

Work on this has moved rapidly over the last year. They have developed the first mRNAs to be tested and the nanoparticle molecules that package the mRNA so it can be safely given.

Currently they are working on methods for scaling production so that they can begin laboratory and field testing.

***Because the actual virus is not present in the cat’s body, there is no risk of them developing the disease. ***

This makes mRNA vaccines a potential game changer for diseases in cats which have previously been very hard to prevent including FIP.”

https://sockfip.org/ucdavisfipresearch/

FIP Research

FIP Research – UK and USA

UK:

“EC22-005: Acute phase protein and micro-RNA signatures for the diagnosis and prognosis of feline infectious peritonitis.

Accurate diagnosis has long been a holy grail for FIP research: we aim to i) look at the profile of certain proteins in the blood (known as acute-phase proteins or APP) which increase in response to infection ii) while also taking a first look at the potential role of micro-RNA (miRNA) signatures, which may prove to be a sensitive new test.

It is hoped that this study will enable us to understand FIP more fully and diagnose it more accurately. We also hope to recognize which profiles suggest a cat will respond well to treatment, and which will not, saving them from the distress of having FIP and the potential discomfort of a treatment that will not help.

Investigator: Professor Danielle Gunn-Moore (DGM), BSc(Hon), BVM&S, PhD, MANZCVS, FHEA, FRSB, FRCVS, RCVS Specialist in Feline Medicine; The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh”

https://everycat.org/grant/ec22-005-acute-phase-protein-and-micro-rna-signatures-for-the-diagnosis-and-prognosis-of-feline-infectious-peritonitis/

USA:

“Krystle Reagan, PhD, DVM, Dip. ACVIM, assistant professor of medicine and epidemiology, is leading several studies to find a treatment that is readily accessible to treat cats diagnosed with FIP.

Reagan is using CRISPR technology to develop a rapid test that detects viral genetic material. This study is still ongoing, but researchers hope it will yield a more definitive and rapid test that could replace the diagnosis by circumstantial evidence and exclusion that is currently the norm.

She is also the principal investigator on a clinical trial evaluating the use of GS-441524 and remdesivir in oral formulations to treat FIP. She reports that the efficacy of the oral formulations of both drugs appears to be good, and that this can provide an alternative to the daily GS-441524 injections, which are known to be painful to cats.

Reagan’s colleague, Amir Kol, DVM, PhD, Dip ACVP (Clinical Pathology), associate professor of pathology, microbiology, and immunology, is leading a clinical trial of his own involving the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) along with GS-441524 in the treatment of FIP.”

https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2022-11/fip-research-new-hope-for-cats-and-maybe-humans

Ineffective FIP tests and our preferred Glasgow ‘FIP Profile’

“Diagnosing FIP can be challenging, and some commercial tests propose an FCoV S-gene mutation RT-qPCR to aid in diagnosis. However, this study, co-authored by ABCD’s Regina Hofmann-Lehmann and Katrin Hartmann, found that it sometimes also detects S-gene mutations in healthy (non-FIP) cats.”

Read the paper: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/8/1671/htm

Time and time again, owners tell us of ineffective and incorrect tests being sent for.

They also report tests which are inconclusive and take too long to be returned (to the extent their cat has died waiting.)

Glasgow University’s “FIP Profile” testing is world leading and it can quickly and efficiently help to rule in or out FIP when combined with clinical presentation/reported symptoms.

The FIP Profile at Glasgow University needs to be known about by Vets, please tell yours.

We have access to lifesaving legal treatment for FIP in the UK now from Bova UK.

It is now the Veterinary testing and diagnosis workup that is placing obstacles in the cat’s path to receiving prompt, lifesaving treatment.

The Glasgow “FIP Profile” also means no cat needs to undergo extensive, invasive procedures in the Vet’s pursuit of a definitive FIP diagnosis. Many cats are far too ill for these procedures!

The UK Vet Expert FIP Advice team, in their ISFM Winter 2022 podcast, highlighted the desire for being as sure as possible on a FIP diagnosis but highlighted the need to move away from previous thinking (when no treatment was available and the option was put to sleep) with regards to reaching that 100% conclusion to confirm FIP as reason for death.

FIP is no longer a death sentence.Legal treatment exists.Testing does not need to be invasive and neverending.

Tell your Vet about the “FIP Profile” at Glasgow University. It costs £51 plus vat.

Glasgow University Vet Diagnostic Services “FIP Profile”: on page 5 here: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/bohvm/vetdiagnostics/pricelist/
and order form on page 1 here under “Dry and Wet FIP Profile”: https://www.gla.ac.uk/media/Media_921929_smxx.pdf

Antiviral Toxicity

This recent comparative study that looks at toxicity with all legal antivirals from Murphy and Cook, (at world leading research centre UC Davis) is extensive and thorough.

In a very brief summary:

1. Every legal tested human grade antiviral works for FIP.

2. They are all of siimilar levels in terms of potential toxicity to each other.

* Legal Molnupiravir showed no more toxicity than legal Remdesivir or legal GS-441524.

3. There is evidence that all legal tested compounds work in fairly similar ways.

4. It is also highlighted that there is a need to avoid a one size fits all approach to legally helping save cats from FIP – a huge departure from previous thinking!

An Optimized Bioassay for Screening Combined Anticoronaviral Compounds for Efficacy against Feline Infectious Peritonitis Virus with Pharmacokinetic Analyses of GS-441524, Remdesivir, and Molnupiravir in Cats

https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/11/2429

3 informative links to FIP infomation from Vet Lexicon:

https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis/diseases/feline-infectious-peritonitis

https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis/bug/feline-coronavirus-fip

https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis/labtest/fip-fcov-tests