Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is the second most common cause of heart disease in dogs, and medical management of the secondary signs is the only therapeutic option. The outcome for affected dogs depends on the stage of disease and the breed. Once diagnosed, dogs typically exhibit rapid and uniform progression to congestive heart failure (CHF), with most living less than 6 months.
We completed the proposed plan of treating 12 Dobermans with congestive heart failure secondary to dilated cardiomyopathy with therapeutic gene delivery. The therapy appears to provide a modest (measured in months) survival benefit for dogs destined to succumb to congestive heart failure, however there appears to be no benefit for dogs destined to succumb to a fatal arrhythmia. With the remaining funds we plan to treat 4 Dobermans in the occult stage of disease (significant systolic dysfunction without evidence of congestive heart failure). This population theoretically is more likely to benefit from the therapy because they have greater cardiac reserve than dogs with end stage disease.
The Principal Investigator was awarded a no-cost extension to complete the project through 12/31/2025.
End-Year-9 Research Update Dr. Sleeper gene therapy for DCM.