Okava Collaborates With Undisclosed Strategic Partner to Advance OKV-1001 for Human Use

Strategic partnership ensures that OKV-1001 reaches its full potential—advancing care for both pets and people

We look forward to our collaboration which ensures that OKV-1001 is positioned to reach its full potential—advancing care for both pets and people.”

— Michael Klotsman, PhD, MBA, CEO of OKAVA

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, UNITED STATES, March 3, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- OKAVA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Okava,” or “the Company”), a clinical stage company at the forefront of translating medical innovations to address common diseases of aging in dogs and cats, today announced

a strategic partnership with a stealth biotechnology company to explore OKV-1001 for use in human indications. This partnership allows OKAVA to focus on its core mission of advancing veterinary care for dogs and cats, while still maximizing the revenue potential for this asset by outlicensing rights to the human market.

OKV-1001, a patented modified-release mycophenolate formulation, is the first-ever product candidate to leverage advanced drug delivery technologies to meet the unique needs of dogs. It is a reengineered version of CellCept®/Myfortic®, blockbuster human immunosuppressants that have generated billions of dollars in revenue and are widely used to treat immunoinflammatory diseases such as immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, atopic dermatitis, lupus, and pemphigus. By leveraging advanced drug delivery technology, Okava tailored OKV-1001 for veterinary use, addressing key clinical challenges associated with immediate-release mycophenolate.

OKV-1001 was designed to address the long-standing clinical challenges associated with immediate-release CellCept® and delayed-release Myfortic®. Published studies in dogs demonstrate that, compared to CellCept, OKV-1001 offers enhanced efficacy with fewer side effects, delivered in a convenient once-daily oral capsule. These clinical advantages were most recently observed in a field pilot study in atopic dogs, reinforcing OKV-1001’s potential as a next-generation treatment for canine immunoinflammatory diseases. These promising results further validates OKAVA’s “Human to Pet” R&D model and underscores the mutually beneficial impact of cross-disciplinary innovation strategy to advance healthcare solutions.

Encouraged by the strong performance of OKV-1001 in veterinary applications, Okava sought to bring the innovation full circle by exploring its potential in human medicine. This led to an out-licensing agreement for human applications. Under this collaboration, the licensee will be responsible for all R&D, registration, and commercialization activities for the human market.

"This partnership underscores the value of a One Health approach to biomedical innovation," said Michael Klotsman, PhD, MBA, Chief Executive Officer of Okava. "By tailoring Cellcept/Myfortic for canine health, we uncovered a solution that may be beneficial for human medicine as well. We look forward to our collaboration which ensures that OKV-1001 is positioned to reach its full potential—advancing care for both pets and people."

About OKV-1001
OKV-1001, a patented modified-release mycophenolate formulation, is the first-ever product candidate to leverage advanced drug delivery technologies to meet the unique needs of dogs. OKV-1001 is a MUMS-designated product that is under development for immune-mediated inflammatory conditions. In people, mycophenolate is an FDA-approved medicine used across a host of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases including atopic dermatitis, immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, and lupus.
OKAVA’s proprietary OKV-1001 formulation is a once-daily oral product designed to unlock the therapeutic potential of mycophenolate by improving the ease-of-use, safety, and efficacy of this drug.

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.