In the early 1990s, an overgrown shaggy schlub of a St. Bernard named Beethoven won the hearts of millions of children with a pair of hit theatrical movies, the titularly titled "Beethoven" (1992) and "Beethoven's 2nd" (1993). Tragically, the real-life Beethoven died shortly after the sequel was filmed, thereby inadvertently raising awareness about how St. Bernards and other large-breed dogs like Great Danes, Newfoundlands and Mastiffs tend to have shortened life spans of only 7 to 10 years. By contrast, shorter dog breeds (if healthy) can survive for roughly twice as long.
Yet what if there was a way to extend the lifespan of these large-breed dogs? One company aims to do just that. The San Francisco-based startup Loyal is a clinical-stage veterinary medicine company that recently made headlines for working to receive conditional approval for a new medicine from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (Yep, the same government agency responsible for regulating human pharmaceuticals does likewise for animals.) The company is part of Cellular Longevity, a biotech firm developing drugs that aim to extend the lifespan of not just canines, but one day humans as well.
