Vets can offer a better range of medicines and improve cat compliance, thanks to Nova Laboratories’ pioneering compounding and reformulation service.
 
Leading feline vets from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh are particularly interested in the opportunities presented by Nova and are working with the company on a 25-item menu of tailor-made cat medicines, to provide an alternative when no licensed veterinary medicine exists.
 
They are keen to use Nova’s world class expertise and technology to produce individual dosage solutions, which better meet the needs of all companion animals and proved extremely popular among vets at the BSAVA Congress.
 
Within Cascade, Nova can provide medicines in suspension or capsule form, increasing customer satisfaction because pets - and owners - find it easier to deal with. Nova is also about to produce topical solutions, creams and ointments - such as percutaneous gels to rub on the inside of a cat’s ear, which are particularly useful for ‘fractious’ cats.
 
Nova is a leading supplier of human unlicensed medicine compounds, known as ‘Specials’ - prescribed for individual patients when a suitable licensed product is not available. However, working with vets is essential to overcome the challenges of reformulation for companion animals – such as for cats who are lactose intolerant.
 
Nova is working in the veterinary sector due to demand from ‘early adopter’ vets, including the ability to handle non-sterile cytotoxic formulations safely. Examples include when patients’ needs will be best met by an unusual formulation, strength, or preservative/additive free product, or if a licensed product has been discontinued or is temporarily unavailable, or even if suspensions are needed because the patient cannot easily swallow pills.
 
The experienced team of pharmacists and technicians have state-of-the-art, MHRA-approved facilities at Wigston near Leicester and Nova has a Manufacturer's 'Specials' Authorisation (Veterinary) among its many licensing credentials.
 
John Seaton, Commercial and Financial Director at Nova, said compounding and reformulation is still a relatively under-utilised area of medicine that offers great advantages to vets and their patients.
 
“Nova has developed considerable expertise in compounding and reformulation and is delighted to be working alongside specialist feline vets to increase the range of medicines available.
 
“We can reassure vets this is not an under-the-counter solution. Cascade is a long-standing legal flexibility allowing vets to use their clinical judgment to prescribe a suitable medicine where no licensed medicine exists. The intention is to increase the range of medicines available for veterinary use and Nova works within that system.”
 
Professor Danièlle Gunn-Moore, of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh, is working with Nova to ensure it produces safe reformulations for cats.
 
She said: “Animals need medicines to help prevent disease and to treat them if they fall ill, so the work that Nova is doing to increase medicine availability within Cascade is literally saving lives; for example, supplying amlodipine for cats with hypertension to prevent blindness, seizures and senility.
 
“All species deserve the benefit of medicinal products which have been specifically developed and formulated for their treatment, and Nova is now well equipped to meet this need by filling in the gaps not supplied by specifically licensed products.”
 
“For example, systemic hypertension is now recognised as a common problem, especially in older cats, but there are no anti-hypertensives licensed. We are pleased Nova can provide a solution in a suspension or capsule form and is able to formulate to the required strength.”
 
John Seaton said he was “staggered” at the quality of the Congress and delighted in the high interest levels generated by their stand.
“Delegates told us they were thrilled to meet us because they did not know a company like Nova existed. Coming to Congress 2011 has proved to be one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.”
 
Nova is already providing the following products to vets: Ronidazole, Cyclophosphamide, Hydroxycarbomide, Lomustine, Azathioprine, Procarbozine, Tylosin, Tramadol, Mexilitine, Azthyramycin, Imatinib, Piroxicam and Trilostane (all capsules); and Cisapride, Metronidazole and Pyridostigmine (all suspensions).