Trupanion Primed and Ready to Provide Coverage for Lifesaving Medication for Feline Infectious Peritonitis
15 May 2024 - 11:00PM
Business Wire
- Lifesaving drugs for Feline Infectious Peritonitis are
available to treat cats in Australia, Canada and elsewhere across
the globe, and may now become available to cats in the US starting
as early as June
Trupanion (Nasdaq: TRUP), the leading provider of medical
insurance for cats and dogs, is poised to increase access for
Trupanion members to lifesaving medications for treatment of
otherwise deadly Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). Trupanion has
been providing coverage where the medications are already
commercially available in Australia and Canada and is ready to
continue fighting FIP in the United States in June.
The COVID pandemic spurred a slew of new medical research, some
of which has provided an unexpected silver lining for our family
pets. One is a treatment for an overwhelmingly deadly disease
called Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) which is a mutated form
of a feline coronavirus. Both domestic and wild cats are
susceptible to FIP and it has long been considered fatal regardless
of treatment. Not only is this disease fatal, but efforts to treat
FIP have been historically fruitless due to a lack of appropriate
medication and financial inaccessibility. In fact, Trupanion paid a
single invoice on behalf of our member for their infected cat
totaling over $53,000.
During the pandemic, an antiviral drug called Remdesivir,
originally evaluated to treat Ebola many years earlier, was found
to inhibit COVID replication in humans. Remdesivir and closely
related drugs called metabolites, have since been discovered to
successfully treat FIP in cats and have proven results in multiple
countries.
As the leading provider of medical insurance for cats and dogs,
and the only provider focused on paying veterinary invoices
directly to hospitals in real-time, Trupanion has been providing
coverage for these medications for eligible pets in Australia since
2022 when the medication became commercially available. Trupanion
quickly aligned coverage in Canada when the treatment was
authorized there earlier this year.
Dr. Steve Weinrauch, BVMS, MRCVS, Trupanion’s Chief
Veterinary/Product Officer, stated, “At Trupanion, we’re focused on
ensuring pets get the care they deserve. We’re excited about the
potential to provide coverage for the treatment of FIP here in the
U.S. while aligning with FDA guidelines. Already, we’ve covered
costs and provided access to care for many Trupanion pet parents in
Canada and Australia whose pets were successfully treated with
Remdesivir and related drugs. At Trupanion we see 2-3 invoices in
North America for FIP every single week. It will be a relief to
know that this diagnosis will no longer equal a death sentence for
cats in the United States.”
Dr. Stephen Rose, veterinarian and General Manager, Trupanion
Australia, reflects, “Having personally attempted treatment for FIP
in clinical scenarios in the past, it was difficult and
disheartening, but with this new treatment many of these cats are
surviving. Being able to provide hope to these impacted cats has
been an important part of delivering our mission to allow our
members' pets to get the care they deserve. I am pleased to know
that cats in the United States will soon have access to the same
high-quality care.”
Know the signs of FIP in your cat:
All cats, indoors and outdoors, are vulnerable to FIP in the
first two years of their lives. Know the signs so you can catch the
onset and seek treatment quickly.
- Progressive distention of the abdomen
- Difficulty breathing
- Long lasting fever
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Depression
- Eye and/or central nervous system signs may occur
Interviews Available
Trupanion's Chief Veterinary Product Officer, Dr. Steve
Weinrauch is available to share related insights or to provide
context regarding pet health data as it relates to the extensive
Trupanion database. Please contact
corporate.communications@trupanion.com for scheduling.
About Trupanion
Trupanion is the leading provider of medical insurance for over
1,000,000 cats and dogs throughout the United States, Canada,
Europe, Puerto Rico and Australia. For over two decades, Trupanion
has given pet owners peace of mind so they can focus on their pet's
recovery, not financial stress. With its patented process,
Trupanion is the only North American provider with the technology
to pay veterinarians directly in seconds at the time of checkout.
Trupanion is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol "TRUP". The company
was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Seattle, WA. Trupanion
policies are issued, in the United States, by its wholly-owned
insurance entity American Pet Insurance Company and, in Canada, by
Accelerant Insurance Company of Canada. Trupanion Australia is a
partnership between Trupanion and Hollard Insurance Company. For
more information, please visit trupanion.com.
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Corporate Communications
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