Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Drugs with activity against feline leukemia virus in cats
By Greggs, Willie M et al.·Published in The Journal of general virology·2012·College of Veterinary Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Discovery of drugs that possess activity against feline leukemia virus.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study found that certain medications used to treat human HIV could also help cats infected with feline leukemia virus (FeLV), which can cause serious health issues. The researchers tested four FDA-approved drugs, including tenofovir and raltegravir, and discovered they were effective against FeLV without causing harmful side effects. This is promising news for cat owners, as current treatment options for FeLV are limited and often expensive. Further research is needed to confirm how these drugs work and if they can be safely used in veterinary medicine.
People also search for: cat leukemia treatment · feline leukemia virus medication · HIV drugs for cats · FeLV treatment options
Abstract
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a gammaretrovirus that is a significant cause of neoplastic-related disorders affecting cats worldwide. Treatment options for FeLV are limited, associated with serious side effects, and can be cost-prohibitive. The development of drugs used to treat a related retrovirus, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), has been rapid, leading to the approval of five drug classes. Although structural differences affect the susceptibility of gammaretroviruses to anti-HIV drugs, the similarities in mechanism of replication suggest that some anti-HIV-1 drugs may also inhibit FeLV. This study demonstrates the anti-FeLV activity of four drugs approved by the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) at non-toxic concentrations. Of these, tenofovir and raltegravir are anti-HIV-1 drugs, while decitabine and gemcitabine are approved to treat myelodysplastic syndromes and pancreatic cancer, respectively, but also have anti-HIV-1 activity in cell culture. Our results indicate that these drugs may be useful for FeLV treatment and should be investigated for mechanism of action and suitability for veterinary use.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22258856/