New Dog Longevity Pill Could Make Pets Live Longer
A daily pill that could help dogs live longer is closer to reality than you might think. LOY-002, developed by biotech startup Loyal, is moving through the FDA process and shows real promise in boosting dog longevity. With dogs sharing aging traits with humans, this research could help both species.
Loyal’s LOY-002 just hit a big milestone. The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine accepted the drug’s Reasonable Expectation of Effectiveness. That means the agency sees potential for it to actually work.
Conditional approval could arrive as soon as late 2025, bringing the dog longevity pill one step closer to shelves.
LOY-002 is a beef-flavored daily chew made for dogs aged 10 and older who weigh at least 14 pounds. It works by improving metabolic health, which helps delay age-related issues like cancer and memory loss. Early signs point to a possible one-year gain in healthy life, with no serious side effects so far.
To back up its claims, Loyal launched the STAY study. Over 1,000 dogs across 70 clinics are taking part. The study tracks changes in lifespan and quality of life, offering rare insight into how daily longevity treatments could shift outcomes for aging pets.
For larger breeds like Great Danes, LOY-001 (an injection) and LOY-003 (a chew) are in the pipeline. These dogs age faster, so the drugs focus on reducing IGF-1, a hormone tied to fast aging. Trials are moving toward approval in 2027.
Large dogs have IGF-1 levels up to 28 times higher than small ones. LOY-001 and LOY-003 aim to reduce this hormone, which plays a key role in cell growth and aging. By lowering IGF-1, the drugs may slow down the rapid aging that cuts big dogs’ lives short.
Metabolism Is a Key Longevity Lever
Loyal / X / Poor metabolic health speeds up aging and triggers disease. By improving how the body uses energy, the drug helps dogs stay healthier, longer.
Loyal makes a clear distinction: It is focused on healthspan, not just lifespan. That means helping dogs avoid the decline that often comes late in life. Fewer days spent struggling with illness, more time feeling good.
Drugs that extend life often come with high price tags, but Loyal says LOY-002 will stay under $100 a month. That is intentional. They want it to be something regular dog owners can afford, not just a luxury for the few.
Loyal’s raised more than $150 million so far. Its latest round brought in $22 million to support the final push for approval. The biotech scene is watching closely, not just because of the dog angle, but because of what it might mean for people, too.
Dogs and people share similar biology, which is why dogs are great candidates for longevity studies. If these treatments work in dogs, they may eventually translate into human aging research. It is a more realistic model than mice.
The Dog Aging Project is conducting its own studies, testing drugs like rapamycin, which could slow aging by affecting cell growth. This is part of a broader effort to see if drugs can extend healthy lives in dogs and people, using shared science and real-world settings.
Even with success in dogs, human trials need more proof. Biomarkers of aging in people aren’t fully set yet. Until scientists can reliably measure age-related decline, any human version of these drugs will stay in the early stages. But dog studies could help build that proof.