canine osteosarcoma Archives - ELIAS Animal Health

New Study Data on Chemo-Immunotherapy Approach Using the ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI®) to Treat Bone Cancer in Dogs Demonstrates Improved Outcomes

LENEXA, Kan., June 19, 2025 – ELIAS Animal Health, a leading companion animal cancer therapeutics company, today announced interim results from an ongoing clinical study evaluating ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI®), a USDA-approved autologous prescription product, combined with chemotherapy for treatment of osteosarcoma, an aggressive form of bone cancer in dogs. The interim analysis, presented at the 2025 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Forum in Louisville, KY, demonstrated that combining the initial cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy with the targeted immune-mediated response stimulated by ECI® has the potential to enhance overall response and survival rates in canine cancer patients. The oral abstract presentation, “Adoptive Cell Therapy with Chemotherapy Improves Canine Osteosarcoma Outcomes Compared to Standard of Care Chemotherapy,” was presented by Jeffrey N Bryan, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVIM(O), Professor of Oncology and Associate Director of the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center at the University of Missouri. The combined therapeutic approach showed [...]

jwiley2025-06-19T12:22:31-06:00June 19th, 2025|

ELIAS Animal Health Receives Approval from USDA for the ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI®), First-In-Class Treatment for Canine Osteosarcoma

LENEXA, Kan., Mar. 19, 2025 -- ELIAS Animal Health, a leading companion animal cancer therapeutics company, today announced its adoptive cell therapy, ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI®), has received approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB). Cancer is the leading cause of death in dogs over the age of two and represents a significant unmet medical need in veterinary medicine, with an estimated 6 million dogs diagnosed with cancer each year. ECI®, the first autologous prescription product to receive USDA-CVB approval, is indicated for the treatment of canine osteosarcoma, a deadly form of bone cancer. Large and giant breed dogs, such as Golden Retrievers, Boxers, Greyhounds, Labradors and German Shepherds, are at higher risk of developing this cancer. ECI® works by first conditioning the immune system to recognize a patient’s unique cancer and then delivering an army of activated killer T cells to target and [...]

Tammie Wahaus, CEO & Founder2025-05-23T12:58:33-06:00March 19th, 2025|

ELIAS Animal Health Conducting Limb-Sparing Canine Osteosarcoma Clinical Study with Grant from Morris Animal Foundation

LENEXA, Kan., July 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ELIAS Animal Health, a clinical stage development company advancing novel treatments for cancer in companion animals, has initiated a new study evaluating the company’s adoptive T cell therapy—the ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI®)—in combination with a novel adjuvant as a limb-sparing treatment for large-breed dogs suffering from appendicular osteosarcoma. The study, which is funded by a grant from Morris Animal Foundation, will be conducted in collaboration with Dr. Jeffrey Bryan and Dr. Megan Mickelson at the University of Missouri. “For dogs with appendicular osteosarcoma, amputation of the affected limb followed by chemotherapy is the typical standard of care. However, in certain cases amputation may not be appropriate,” said ELIAS Chief Medical Officer Noe Reyes, DVM. “In this study, we’re evaluating a new approach where the dog is treated with the limb-sparing surgery followed by ECI® immunotherapy.” The study will assess the safety and efficacy [...]

jwiley2024-07-31T07:12:52-06:00July 31st, 2024|

PODCAST: ELIAS returns to Dog Cancer Answers to Talk About Alternatives to Chemotherapy

ELIAS Animal Health CEO, Tammie Wahaus, returns to the Dog Cancer Answers podcast to talk about ECI® as an alternative treatment to chemotherapy for canine osteosarcoma. Earlier this year the USDA determined that ECI® has demonstrated a reasonable expectation of efficacy, a major milestone in the product licensure pathway. Listen to the episode below to find out what's next for ECI®, or read the full transcript at Dog Cancer Answers online. Listen to more episodes of the Dog Cancer Answers podcast here.

jwiley2024-05-14T12:42:13-06:00April 1st, 2024|

USDA Agrees Clinical Trial Data for the ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI®) Demonstrates Reasonable Expectation of Efficacy for the Treatment of Bone Cancer in Dogs

First-in-class adoptive cell therapy for treatment of osteosarcoma, a deadly form of bone cancer in dogs OLATHE, Kan., Jan. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ELIAS Animal Health, a leading companion animal cancer therapeutics company, today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture Center for Veterinary Biologics has determined that the data from the company’s ECI-OSA-04 pivotal combined safety and efficacy study demonstrated a reasonable expectation of efficacy, a critical milestone in the licensure pathway. Cancer is the leading cause of death in dogs over the age of two and represents a significant unmet medical need in veterinary medicine. This two-arm field safety and efficacy study (n=100) is one of the largest clinical trials conducted in canine cancer and the first of its kind to evaluate a state-of-the-art adoptive cell therapy as a treatment for cancer in dogs. The ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI®) works by conditioning the immune system to recognize a patient’s [...]

jwiley2024-02-27T19:07:55-06:00January 17th, 2024|

How Long-Term Patient Registries Support Better Cancer Care

Our mission at ELIAS Animal Health is to improve cancer treatment outcomes in veterinary patients through the advancement of innovative therapies. To do that, it is imperative to understand the long-term outcomes of dogs who undergo the ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI®). Following our randomized controlled trial (RCT) for canine osteosarcoma, we recently launched a long-term patient registry which will collect both long-term survival and quality of life data on dogs who participated in our clinical trials or received ECI outside of clinical trials. What Are Long-Term Patient Registries? Long-term patient registries allow us to observe real-world ongoing outcomes after clinical trials have concluded. ELIAS’ patient registry will provide insight into the quality-of-life dogs experience post-treatment, help us understand the long-term impact of ECI, and deliver data points that may (or may not) impact our understanding of the patient’s outcome. It will also inform our future product development. Specifically, the registry [...]

jwiley2023-04-26T14:52:37-06:00April 26th, 2023|

ECI®: What to Expect During the T Cell Infusion

The ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI®) is an alternative treatment option to chemotherapy for certain types of canine cancer. ECI is a two-step sequential and interdependent protocol. Step 1 involves priming the patient’s immune system with a personalized vaccine that stimulates an immune response. Step 2 is the activation, expansion and reinfusion of the patient’s cancer antigen-specific T cells which can travel to and attack the cancer cells in the dog’s body. We’re often asked if patients can receive only the vaccines, without T cell infusion. Both steps are essential and play different roles in treatment. Stimulating the immune system isn’t enough to eliminate cancer. The vaccine step primes the immune system to create T cells that can specifically recognize the cancer cells. In the second step of the treatment protocol, these T cells are collected from the blood, and then functionally activated and numerically expanded in the laboratory. Once [...]

jwiley2022-11-17T19:36:13-06:00November 16th, 2022|

ELIAS Animal Health Research Demonstrates Cancer-Killing Capabilities of Its Activated T Cell Immunotherapy

In vitro study of the ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI®) showed personalized T cell immunotherapy initiated a significant immune response against target cancer cells. OLATHE, Kan., August 10, 2022 -- ELIAS Animal Health recently presented new mechanism of action data for the ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI®) at the 2022 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum. ECI is an adoptive cell therapy that stimulates a patient’s immune system to recognize and attack cancers. ECI uses a personalized vaccine made from a patient’s own cancer cells to “prime” the immune cells to recognize the cancer. These primed immune cells—which are collected from the patient through a procedure called apheresis—are activated and expanded ex vivo for reinfusion into the patient, where they travel to the cancer cells and attack them. In vitro study demonstrates how vaccine-primed T cells mount an immune response against cancer cells [...]

jwiley2022-12-12T13:42:11-06:00August 10th, 2022|

PODCAST: ELIAS CEO talks immunotherapy and canine osteosarcoma on Dog Cancer Answers

ELIAS Animal Health CEO, Tammie Wahaus, was a recent guest on the Dog Cancer Answers podcast to discuss how the ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI) works, the role of a healthy immune system in successful immunotherapy, and why we chose to focus on canine osteosarcoma first. Listen to the episode below, or read the full transcript at Dog Cancer Answers online. Listen to more episodes of the Dog Cancer Answers podcast here.

jwiley2022-10-20T13:12:00-06:00June 1st, 2022|

PODCAST: ELIAS CEO Discusses Treatment Option for Bone Cancer in Dogs on Fuzzybutts & Friends

ELIAS Animal Health CEO, Tammie Wahaus, was the featured guest on the Fuzzybutts & Friends podcast. Hosted by Luke Robinson, founder of the PuppyUp Foundation, the podcast explores how the ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI®) works against bone cancer in dogs, as well as how ELIAS is committed to developing more immunotherapies for pets with cancer. Check out the episode below! Learn more about the PuppyUp Foundation here. Watch more episodes of the Fuzzybutts & Friends podcast here.

jwiley2022-07-17T12:48:00-06:00April 29th, 2022|