OKAVA’s Announces Publication of OKV-119, A Drug Delivery System Under Development for Feline Obesity and Diabetes

Study Published in BMC Veterinary Research Highlights Months-Long Exenatide Drug Delivery Achieved Through OKAVA’s Innovative OKV-119 Drug Delivery System

San Francisco, California – May 18, 2024 – OKAVA Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical stage research and development company focused on diseases of aging in dogs and cats, today announced the publication of its pilot study for OKV-119 in BMC Veterinary Research. The proof-of-concept study showcases the successful application of Vivani’s NanoPortal™ technology to deliver sustained exenatide exposure which, in turn, significantly led to weight reduction in cats.

Feline obesity and diabetes are rising concerns in veterinary health, necessitating novel therapeutic approaches. OKAVA’s OKV-119 utilizes Vivani’s advanced  NanoPortal™ drug delivery platform to address these challenges. This study represents a major milestone in the development of safe and effective solutions for these prevalent conditions.

Key Findings of the OKV-119 Pilot Study:

  • Extended Drug Exposure: The study demonstrated that OKV-119 can deliver exenatide continuously over several months. This extended exposure is crucial for maintaining therapeutic effects without the need for frequent dosing.
  • Weight Reduction: In cats exposed to the GLP-1 exenatide, weight loss was observed.  These observations highlight the potential of OKV-119 to effectively manage and reduce obesity, a major risk factor for diabetes, heart disease, and ultimately shortened lifespans in cats.
  • Innovative Delivery Mechanism: The NanoPortal™ technology offers a hassle-free solution for guaranteeing drug adherence and represents a potentially revolutionary solution for administering medications for chronic conditions in veterinary medicine.

“We are thrilled to share these promising results from our OKV-119 pilot study,” said Michael Klotsman, CEO of OKAVA. “Our partnership with Vivani and their cutting-edge NanoPortal platform has enabled us to make significant strides in developing a transformative solution for feline obesity and diabetes. This is a critical step towards improving the quality of life for millions of cats and providing veterinarians with more effective tools to manage these conditions.”

Vivani, the inventor of the NanoPortal™, has been instrumental in advancing this technology for veterinary applications. Their expertise in nano-scale drug delivery has facilitated the creation of drug delivery systems capable of maintaining consistent drug levels, thus enhancing therapeutic outcomes and compliance.

“Our collaboration with OKAVA exemplifies the potential of the nanoportal platform to address significant health challenges,” said [Vivani’s Representative’s Name], [Title] at Vivani. “We look forward to further advancing this partnership to bring OKV-119 to market and making a substantial impact on the management of feline obesity and diabetes.”

OKAVA is committed to advancing veterinary care through innovative biotechnological solutions. With the promising results of this pilot study, OKAVA plans to initiate further clinical trials to refine and validate OKV-119, aiming for a commercial launch that could revolutionize the treatment of chronic feline conditions.

For more details on the study and ongoing developments, please visit www.OKAVA.com or access the publication in BMC Veterinary Research ( https://rdcu.be/dIlB1).

About OKV-119

OKV-119 is a miniature, subdermal, exenatide drug implant designed to treat the growing number of clinically obese cats and feline diabetes. This device can be conveniently inserted under the skin during routine veterinary visits and is designed to provide steady doses of medication for up to six months.

OKV-119 is being developed under a partnership with Vivani Medical, Inc.

About OKAVA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. OKAVA is a clinical-stage research and development company that develops new treatment options for dogs and cats suffering from chronic diseases of aging. OKAVA is building a portfolio of products to transform and humanize standards of care in veterinary medicine. By harnessing human technologies for the treatment of common diseases in household pets, the company has the potential of increasing the lifespans of dogs and cats by an average of 1 to 3 years. OKAVA is a private company headquartered in San Francisco, California. For more information, see OKAVA.com.

About Vivani Medical, Inc.

Leveraging its proprietary NanoPortal™ platform, Vivani Medical develops biopharmaceutical implants designed to deliver drug molecules steadily over extended periods of time with the goal of guaranteeing adherence, and potentially to improve medication tolerability. Vivani’s lead programs NPM-115 and NPM-119 are miniature, six-month, GLP-1 implants in development for the treatment of chronic weight management in obese or overweight patients and type 2 diabetes, respectively. Both NPM-115 and NPM-119 are exenatide based products with a higher-dose associated with NPM-115 for the treatment of chronic weight management in obese or overweight patients. These NanoPortal implants are designed to provide patients with the opportunity to realize the full potential benefit of their medication by avoiding the challenges associated with the daily or weekly administration of orals and injectables. Medication non-adherence occurs when patients do not take their medication as prescribed. This affects an alarming number of patients, approximately 50%, including those taking daily pills. Medication non-adherence, which contributes to more than $500 billion in annual avoidable healthcare costs and 125,000 potentially preventable deaths annually in the U.S. alone, is a primary and daunting reason why obese or overweight patients, and patients taking type 2 diabetes or other chronic disease medications face significant challenges in achieving positive real-world effectiveness.  

For More Information:
Michael Klotsman, PhD, MBA Chief Executive Officer at OKAVA
Phone: 415.818.1808
E-mail: info@okavapharma.com

Vivani Contact:
Donald Dwyer
Chief Business Officer
info@vivani.com
(415) 506-8462

Vivani Investor Relations Contact:
Brigid A. Makes
Chief Financial Officer
investors@vivani.com
(415) 506-8462