title: Efficacy of a novel oral formulation of sarolaner (Simparica™) against four common tick species infesting dogs in Europe.
abstract: The efficacy of single oral treatment of sarolaner (Simparica™, Zoetis), a novel isoxazoline compound, was evaluated against four tick species known to commonly infest dogs in Europe. Eight laboratory studies were conducted using adult purpose-bred Beagle dogs. In each study, 16 animals were randomly allocated to one of two treatment groups based on pre-treatment host-suitability tick counts. Dogs were infested with 50 unfed adult Dermacentor reticulatus (two studies), Ixodes hexagonus (three studies), Ixodes ricinus (two studies) or Rhipicephalus sanguineus (one study) ticks on Days -2, 5, 12, 19, 26 and 33. On Day 0, dogs were treated orally with placebo or sarolaner tablets providing the minimum dose of 2.0mg/kg bodyweight and tick counts were conducted 48h after treatment and after each subsequent weekly re-infestation. There were no treatment-related adverse reactions in any of the studies. Dogs in the placebo-treated group maintained tick infestations throughout the studies. Geometric mean live tick counts were significantly (P≤0.0001) lower in the sarolaner-treated group compared to the tick counts in the placebo group at all time-points. A single oral administration of sarolaner resulted in 100% efficacy against existing infestations of all tick species except R. sanguineus, for which the efficacy was 99.7%, within 48h. Efficacy against weekly re-infestations was ≥97.5% for all tick species for 35 days. Thus, a single dose of sarolaner administered orally at the minimum dosage of 2 mg/kg, resulted in ≥99.7% efficacy within 48h against existing tick infestations, and in ≥97.5% efficacy against weekly re-infestations, for at least 35 days after treatment. These studies confirmed that administration of the minimum dose of sarolaner will provide treatment of existing infestations and give at least one month of control against re-infestation by the common tick species affecting dogs in Europe.
authors.affiliation: Zoetis, Veterinary Medicine Research and Development, Mercuriusstraat 20, B-1930 Zaventem, Belgium. Electronic address: thomas.geurden@zoetis.com.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Geurden
authors.affiliation: Zoetis, Veterinary Medicine Research and Development, Mercuriusstraat 20, B-1930 Zaventem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Csilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Becskei
authors.affiliation: Charles River Laboratories, Pre-Clinical Services, Glenamoy Co. Mayo, Ireland.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grace
authors.affiliation: Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Strube
authors.affiliation: Charles River Laboratories, Pre-Clinical Services, Glenamoy Co. Mayo, Ireland.
authors.forename: Padraig
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Doherty
authors.affiliation: ClinVet International (pty) Ltd., Uitsigweg, Bainsvlei, 9338 Bloemfontein, South Africa.
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liebenberg
authors.affiliation: Zoetis, Veterinary Medicine Research and Development, 333 Portage St., Kalamazoo, MI 49007 USA.
authors.forename: Sean P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Mahabir
authors.affiliation: Zoetis, Veterinary Medicine Research and Development, Mercuriusstraat 20, B-1930 Zaventem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Slootmans
authors.affiliation: Zoetis, Veterinary Medicine Research and Development, Mercuriusstraat 20, B-1930 Zaventem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.affiliation: Zoetis, Veterinary Medicine Research and Development, 333 Portage St., Kalamazoo, MI 49007 USA.
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Six
mesh_terms: D056810:Acaricides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D004339:Drug Compounding; D005060:Europe; D007555:Isoxazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011897:Random Allocation; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D013987:Ticks / Q000187:drug effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D056810:Acaricides; D007555:Isoxazoles
keywords: Dermacentor reticulatus; Dog; Dose confirmation; Isoxazoline; Oral; Sarolaner; Tick