There is a new option for dogs with lymphoma, and it does not require a weekly trip to the clinic. Verdinexor tablets, sold as Laverdia, are now available by prescription, Dechra announced on September 23. It is the first FDA-approved oral treatment for lymphoma in dogs, and owners give it at home.
The FDA granted full approval in January, after four annual renewals of a conditional approval first issued in 2021. Lymphoma is diagnosed in fewer than 80,000 US dogs each year, which is why the drug moved through the agency’s minor use pathway.
What the field study found
In a field study, 160 dogs with newly diagnosed or relapsed B-cell or T-cell lymphoma were enrolled and 134 reached the effectiveness analysis. Dogs on the drug went longer before their disease progressed, 37 days against 23 days for the control group. Dosing is twice weekly, at least 72 hours apart, each dose given with food.
Oncologist Craig A. Clifford, DVM, DACVIM, has used the drug in practice and told dvm360 he does not see it as a cure-all. Its likely future is in combination with other agents, and it gives vets an option beyond prednisone.
The safety part owners need to read
It is not for pregnant, lactating, or breeding dogs, and it can cause severe appetite loss, vomiting, diarrhea, and changes in liver enzymes and platelets, so bloodwork monitoring matters. Wear chemotherapy-safe gloves for the tablets and for the dog’s waste, bowls, and saliva during treatment and for three days after the last dose.
What this means for your dog: a new lump or swollen lymph nodes deserve a vet visit rather than a wait-and-see, since lymphoma is one of the more treatable cancers in dogs.