Calviri is developing a preventive cancer vaccine for dogs, aiming to stop oncologic disease before it starts. The company has previously announced positive results from the ongoing Vaccine Against Canine Cancer Study (VACCS), which involves 804 dogs from owners. Calviri has now announced the completion of this clinical trial in a news release.

After 15 years of preclinical work in mice, Calviri developed a vaccine for testing in dogs. Stephen Albert Johnston, PhD, CEO of Calviri and principal investigator of VACCS, discovered these unique protein fragments that arise from errors during tumor RNA processing, and that they are present across multiple cancer types. The VACCS vaccine consisted of 31 of these shared neoantigens, allowing for a broad-spectrum approach to cancer prevention.

, Johnston said, “The vaccine also seems to be substantially reducing the non-tumor deaths. So, deaths from heart disease, arthritis, metabolic diseases, dementia, all of the deaths from those things seem to be being reduced.”

The preliminary safety and efficacy results are very promising for this cancer vaccination, however, the primary efficacy data from the trial, particularly regarding its impact on cancer incidence, is still under analysis and will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Johnston stated in the release, "The safety and efficacy results are encouraging enough that we have begun production of an improved version of the vaccine for approval and conditional sales.''

The 5-year clinical trial had 3 clinical sites: Colorado State University (CSU), College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in Fort Collins; University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine; and University of Wisconsin–Madison, School of Veterinary Medicine and was funded by a $6.4 million grant from the Open Philanthropy Project and Calviri Inc.

Douglas Thamm, VMD, DACVIM (Oncology), professor of oncology at CSU and was a principal clinical investigator for the CSU testing site and said, "The owner participation was amazing. This was one of the largest clinical trials for dogs and it required significant commitment on the part of the owners. The owners made the trial a success."

"The motivation of many of the dog owners was that this trial would lead to developing a vaccine to prevent cancer in humans. We all hope they are right" stated Jenna Burton, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology), associate professor at CSU and co-principal investigator for the CSU testing site.

With positive outlooks for veterinary medicine and canine cancer prevention, Calviri is aiming to extend its research to human medicine.

 "The VACCs team has done an amazing job" said Heather Youngs, senior program officer at Open Philanthropy. "We are so pleased with the progress on this trial and the potential of this technology to save many animal (and potentially human) lives in the future."

Calviri announces completion of groundbreaking preventative canine cancer vaccine trial. News release. Calviri Inc. June 3, 2024. Accessed June 10, 2024. 

https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/calviri-announces-completion-of-groundbreaking-preventative-canine-cancer-vaccine-trial-302161183.html

Yankowicz S. Striving to end canine cancer with vaccinations. 

. August 23, 2023. Accessed June 11, 2024. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/striving-to-end-canine-cancer-with-vaccinations

Articles

Calviri has gathered results from its 5-year study, revealing positive outcomes for cancer prevention

Completion of canine cancer vaccination clinical trial

Mella Pet Care, a health monitoring solution provider for veterinarians and pet owners, has announced a key partnership integration with practice management system (PiMS) provider Vetspire. Using their existing workflows, veterinarians can now integrate Vetspire and other PiMS with the Mella Pet Care desktop app to instantly collect vital signs from Mella devices.

Through a user-friendly interface, the Mella Desktop App can automatically pull patient records, vital sign history and other critical data—removing the need for manual data entry. The veterinarian’s computer doesn’t even need to be in the same room as the Mella hardware, according to the company. Mella offers 4 devices measuring axillary body temperature, body mass index, and otheressential health data in dogs and cats.

“We understand the current frustration that veterinary practices face when dealing with multiple hardware and software platforms that don’t communicate with their existing PiMS,” Anya Babbitt, CEO of Mella Pet Care, said in a news release.

 “This new seamless integration allows practices to focus on what they do best — provide exceptional care to their furry patients.”

Mella Pet Care is a startup based in Chicago, Illinois, with products that include a body fat analyzer, a chip reader, pulse oximeter, and an axillary thermometer.

 In a 2023 study, researchers at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse found that 

treating dogs and cats with underarm thermometers

 like the Mella Pro “significantly” decreases procedure and handling time compared to conventional rectal thermometers.

"Less handling and shorter procedures decreases animal stress and increases owner satisfaction," Cord Brundage, DVM, PhD, MS, who led the study conducted by the Biology Department at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, said in a news release.

 "From a veterinary standpoint, animals that are less stressed do better, feel better and heal better. Any effort we can make to minimize animal handling and procedure time is a win all around."

Vetspire is a cloud-based veterinary software based in Austin, Texas, that is designed to make workflows easier and more modern for veterinarians and their care teams. “Thanks to our integration with Mella, medical staff will spend less time writing notes and more time with our beloved pets,” Cath Colton-Rhoads, senior director of product, Vetspire, said in a news release.

Along with Vetspire, other PiMS integrating with the Mella app include Covetrus, ezyVet, Digitail, Rhapsody, Shepherd, NaVetor, and DaySmart, which enables thousands of practices to spend more time on patient care. The Mella desktop app helps veterinary practices simplify their workflows, reduce errors, and improve efficiency, according to the company.

The app is available for download on Windows and Mac operating systems. Subscriptions are available for $15 per month or $90 per year.

Mella Pet Care launches integration to send real-time vitals data to Vetspire. News release. Mella Pet Care. June 11, 2024.

Underarm pet thermometers faster than rectal, need less restraint, finds University of Wisconsin study. News release. Mella Pet Care. August 14, 2023. Accessed June 10, 2024. 

https://www.mella.ai/post/underarm-pet-thermometers-faster-than-rectal-need-less-restraint-finds-university-of-wisconsin

Partnership with Vetspire will automatically capture patient vital signs from Mella Pet Care hardware


Animal health monitoring solution launches PiMS partnership integration

Officials with the FDA recently issued a supplemental approval for fenbendazole (Safe-Guard; Intervet) for the treatment and control of gastrointestinal worms (

spp) in wild quail. Although there are currently FDA-approved drugs for use in farmed quail, this is the first animal drug approval for use in wild quail and for this indication. Fenbendazole was previously approved for treatment of certain intestinal parasites in other animal species, including cattle, swine, and turkeys.

The FDA’s mission is to protect and promote the health of both humans and animals, including those animals that are considered minor species such as sheep, goats, and ferrets as well as zoo animals and wildlife including wild quail. The supplemental approval of fenbendazole provides a tool for wildlife managers to treat and control these parasites in wild quail populations, according to the FDA.

Some of the studies that supported the approval of fenbendazole in wild quail were conducted by the Minor Use Animal Drug Program (formerly National Research Support Project-7), in collaboration with researchers from Texas Tech Wildlife Toxicology Laboratory in Lubbock. As a partnership between the FDA, USDA, and university researchers, the Minor Use Animal Drug Program is a public research organization that generates scientific data to support FDA approval of new animal drugs for minor species of agricultural importance. The program works to complete 4 of the technical sections required for approval: effectiveness, target animal safety, human food safety, and environmental impact.

Pharmaceutical sponsors can then use this information along with their own manufacturing and labeling information to apply for a new animal drug approval. By providing an official liaison to the Minor Use Animal Drug Program, the FDA gives technical and regulatory support to the university researchers who conduct the studies, helping to facilitate the approval of safe and effective drugs for minor agricultural species.

In addition to determining that fenbendazole is safe and effective, the FDA determined that there is a reasonable certainty of no harm for residues of fenbendazole in the edible tissues of treated quail following human consumption when fenbendazole is used according to the labeling.

Fenbendazole is available over the counter and is supplied in 25-pound bags. Wild quail should be administered 90.7g of fenbendazole/ton of Type C medicated feed, to be fed for 21 consecutive days.

FDA approves first drug for use in wild quail. FDA. News release. May 23, 2024. Accessed June 10, 2024. 

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/fda-approves-first-drug-use-wild-quail?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Fenbendazole is indicated as a parasite preventive, which can be used as a tool by wildlife managers

FDA approves first animal drug for wild quail

 readers! We are continuing to roll out our coverage of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine’s (ACVIM) Forum last week in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Addition June print publication articles are going to be published throughout the week.

Along with our ACVIM Forum coverage and June print publication, here is what else will be available this week on dvm360.com:

Calviri announced that it has successfully completed its Vaccine Against Canine Cancer Study, a 5 year clinical trial that investigated a preventative cancer vaccine for canines.

A case study submitted by City Vets, a dvm360 Strategic Alliance Partner, took a deep dive into the spay of Nebula, a 2-year-old 'axanthic blue' green iguana. 

, host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, welcomes Jon Geller, DVM, DABVP emeritus, to discuss pets and poverty as well as sharing his latest innovative idea to improve access to care for everyone.

The Viticus Group shared the winners of its prestigious 2024 Continuing Educators of the Year, including dvm360’s editorial advisory board member Fred Wininger, VMD, MS, DACVIM (Neurology).

In recognition of Pet Preparedness month, PetSmart Charities of Canada is highlighting the importance of educating clients to incorporate their pets in emergency planning to help ensure they safety, especially as wildfire season begins.

Here is a sneak peek at this week’s headlines 

Sneak peek: Calviri completes preventative canine cancer vaccination trial, and other veterinary news 

How are medical errors perceived in the veterinary profession and how should they be perceived? In their lecture at the 2024 

American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine(ACVIM) Forum

 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Melinda Larson, DVM, DACVIM, director of medical quality at BluePearl Pet Hospitals in Clearwater, Florida and Richard Stone, DVM, DACVIM, chief medical officer at BluePearl Pet Hospitals in Houston, Texas, spoke on the importance of instituting a culture and system within the health care profession that not only promotes open discussion of medical errors, but perceives these errors as learning opportunities.

Black box thinking and destigmatizing mistakes

At core of Larson and Stone’s lecture stood journalist, author, and broadcaster, Matthew Syed’s ‘black box thinking’ approach, illustrated in Syed’s titular book. As Larson and Stone explained, the aviation industry stores all cockpit voice and flight data recordings, formerly in a black box. When an incident occurs, these boxes are used to pinpoint where things went wrong, and the data is used to devise strategies for preventing similar events in the future.

Larson went on to emphasize this black box strategy in aviation be applied to health care. “Black box thinking [is described] as creating systems and cultures that enable organizations to learn from their errors rather than being threatened by them. It's really this learning mentality, this learning mindset, that is the core foundation—the science of patient safety,” she explained.

Stone talked about how certain words or phrases, such as ‘medical error,’ ‘adverse event,’ ‘near miss,’ ‘harm’ or ‘committed,’ and ‘error’ can “trigger people to put up their defenses,” resulting in an avoidance of discussing these events. To help eliminate some of this stigma, the presenters encouraged health care professionals to instead utilize the umbrella term ‘patient safety event,’ which does not carry the same negative connotation as other related terminology. 

In their session, Larson and Stone discussed the prevalence of mistakes in health care. According to a 2016 study, patient safety events in human health care were the third leading cause of death in the United States.

 Moreover, about 1 in 10 patients are harmed from an adverse event, with more than 50% of that harm being considered preventable.

 Although there is limited literature on the frequency of errors in veterinary medicine, one study found that almost 74% of 606 veterinarians surveyed reported being involved in 1 or more near miss or adverse event, and more than 50% reported being affected by these events, both professionally and personally.

“Health care is so complex, whether that is human health care, veterinary health care, all of it—extremely complex—and therefore error provoking. Yet, health workers stigmatize fallibility and have little or no training in error management or error detection,” Larson said.

As part of the ‘black box thinking’ approach, Larson and Stone elaborated on the usefulness of incidence reporting systems, which provide a way for team members to record any patient safety events that occur in the workplace. Much like airlines’ black boxes, this collection of data on each incident help organizations identity trends in these events, consequently providing opportunities.

Contrary to common belief, the majority of patient safety events are rarely the sole result of one individual, according to Larson and Stone. Rather, errors are multifaceted and a result of intricate systems that contain multiple factors that lead up to the event. “Medical errors are rarely as simple as a single person doing something wrong; people exist within systems,” said Larson. As such, Larson and Stone encouraged establishing ‘systems thinking,’ as this form of thinking is the foundation in learning and improving from patient safety events.

Once systems thinking is in place, “root cause analysis” may be applied. This term refers to the methodical and organized examination of medical errors aimed at pinpointing and making alterations to the system to decrease the chances of the same mistake reoccurring.

Larson M, Stone R. Finding the black box: Learning from medical errors. Presented at: American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum; Minneapolis, MN; June 5–8, 2024. 

Low R, Wu AW. Veterinary Healthcare needs to talk more about error: For the wellbeing of our patients and medical teams. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. 2022;36(6):2199-2202. 

Kogan LR, Rishniw M, Hellyer PW, Schoenfeld-Tacher RM. Veterinarians’ experiences with near misses and adverse events. 

Melinda Larson, DVM, DACVIM, and Richard Stone, DVM, DACVIM, discussed the ‘black box thinking’ approach at the 2024 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum to help reduce patient safety events

Using medical errors as learning opportunities

In an ever-evolving field, innovation is crucial, and these awardees exemplify the importance of pioneering advancements that enhance veterinary care, improve outcomes, and address emerging challenges in animal health. The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) recently announced the recipients of the 2024 ACVIM Recognition Awards at the ACVIM Forum held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. These distinguished honorees are accomplished veterinary professionals and ACVIM Diplomates who have demonstrated exceptional professional excellence, dedicated service, and profound expertise. Their contributions have significantly impacted animal wellbeing and propelled the veterinary profession forward.

 the following individuals received a Recognition Award:

Edward C. Feldman, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), Professor Emeritus at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, is the 2024 recipient of the Robert W. Kirk Award for Professional Excellence for his outstanding career and lifetime of contributions to the ACVIM and veterinary internal medicine.

Susan L. “Suzi” White, DVM, MS, DACVIM (LAIM), Josiah Meigs Distinguished Professor, Emeritus, at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, is the 2024 recipient of the Lee & Inge Pyle Service Award for her record of outstanding and dedicated service in a volunteer capacity to the ACVIM.

François-René Bertin, DVM, MS, PhD, FHEA, DACVIM (LAIM), associate professor, large animal internal medicine at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, is the 2024 recipient of the William R. Fenner Early Career Award for Outstanding Service for exceptional service to the ACVIM in a volunteer capacity within the first 10 years following Board-certification.

The ACVIM also presented 3 Specialty Lifetime Achievement Awards recognizing the most prominent leaders in the College’s 6 specialties.

Neil K. Harpster, VMD, DACVIM (Cardiology), former director of the Cardiology Department at Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston, received the Specialty Lifetime Achievement Award for cardiology.

Stephanie J. Valberg, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (LAIM), DACVSMR, director of Valberg Neuromuscular Diagnostic Laboratory, received the Specialty Lifetime Achievement Award for large animal internal medicine.

Dennis J. Chew, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), Honorary ACVNU, Professor Emeritus at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, received the Specialty Lifetime Achievement Award for small animal internal medicine.

Make sure to keep reading and watching our 

The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) announces 2024 Recognition Award recipients. News release. American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. June 10, 2024. Accessed June 10, 2024. 

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240610123308/en/The-American-College-of-Veterinary-Internal-Medicine-ACVIM-Announces-2024-Recognition-Award-Recipients

The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine recognizes the incredible work its diplomates contribute to the veterinary field