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    Pilot study of Frunevetmab (Solensia) and Meloxicam for palliative therapy of feline bone-invasive oral squamous cell carcinomas

    This study will be the first to assess whether Solensia, in combination with meloxicam, provides superior pain relief compared to meloxicam alone. Meloxicam, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, is a standard-of-care option for alleviating pain in cats, recommended by the oncologists at Penn Vet. All participating cats will receive this standard palliative medication. Additionally, they will be randomly assigned to receive either the monoclonal antibody against nerve growth factor (Solensia) or a placebo (saline injection). Recently, Solensia has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment of feline arthritis pain.

    Eligibility:

    Study Procedures:

    Cats enrolled in this study will remain in the study for approximately 2 months; there will be at least 6 visits to Penn Vet during that time. You will be asked to fill out questionnaires weekly to determine any changes in pain in all visits starting on Visit 2.

    Please contact study coordinator, June DiBona, at jdibona@upenn.edu, or call 215-573-6610 for more information.