Breaking records: the STAY study enrolls 1,000 dogs
Today, I’m excited to share two new milestones in the STAY study: we’ve achieved our original enrollment goal of 1,000 dogs, and we’re expanding the trial to include up to 1,300 dogs.
The STAY study is the clinical trial for LOY-002, our senior dog program that recently earned its preliminary efficacy acknowledgement from the FDA (RXE). It’s the first FDA-concurred trial for a longevity drug, and at 1,000 dogs, it’s the largest clinical trial in the history of veterinary medicine.1
1,000 dogs and counting
From my 20 years of experience in clinical operations, I know how much work it can be to design and run a clinical trial as large as STAY. The fact that we’ve met this goal is a reflection of the excitement we’ve seen from vets and dog owners across the country. We’re ready to build on this momentum by enrolling an additional 300 dogs in the study — totaling 1,300 dogs.
Dogs of all shapes and sizes are participating in the STAY study.
While breaking records is certainly exciting, expanding the size of the STAY study is also scientifically important. Generally speaking, a larger sample size increases the likelihood that we can observe the true effect of our drug. It can also help show that our drug can be effective in a broad and diverse population of dogs.
One of the STAY study’s top enrolling sites is run by the enthusiastic Dr. Samuel Geller, who told us, “It’s fantastic to hear you have reached your 1,000 dog milestone. I look forward to helping you enroll the final group and move this study forward.”
If you’ve been interested in enrolling in the STAY study, now’s the time! We plan to finish recruitment of 1,300 dogs in the next few months. Learn more about your dog’s eligibility and clinics near you.
Meet the 1,000th dog
In early 2024, we introduced you to our first STAY participant, Boo. He was the first of many committed canine participants who have made this study a success. Now, we want to introduce the 1,000th enrolled dog — meet Winston. Winston is a 10-year-old Miniature Dachshund from Franklin, Indiana.
Dr. Amy Smith, the vet who enrolled Winston at Franklin Animal Clinic, says, "The STAY study has been very exciting for myself and my colleagues because the prospect of helping our dogs live longer, healthier lives is the reason we joined the veterinary field. Owners participating in the STAY study enjoy making a difference in the well-being of dogs now and in the future."
Winston the 10-year-old Miniature Dachshund, our 1,000th enrolled dog in STAY
Celebrating our partners and participants
Enrolling 1,000 dogs across 70 clinics nationwide is no small feat, and I want to commend our dedicated Clinical Operations team who’ve worked tirelessly to bring us to this milestone. I also want to thank our study sites’ Principal Investigators (PIs) and teams who continue to bring our mission to life in their clinics in all corners of the country — from Oregon to Florida and beyond.
The dogs are the true heroes of the STAY study, all 1,000 and counting. Their participation is not only furthering our understanding of aging in dogs and how interventions may impact that process, but it’s also setting up the framework for the development and potential FDA approval of longevity drugs like LOY-002 in the near future.
We're so grateful to each and every participating dog and their family.
How you can get involved
While this is a moment for us to celebrate and reflect on our progress to date, it also marks the start of the next chapter of the STAY study. We’ll continue enrolling the final 300 dogs in the trial over the next several months. Upon the study’s completion, the efficacy and safety data will support our application for full FDA approval— potentially making LOY-002 the first fully approved longevity drug in any species.
Do you and your dog want to be part of history? See if your senior dog qualifies → loyal.com/STAY
1. The previous record in a veterinary clinical trial was the Vaccination Against Canine Cancer Study (VACCs), which enrolled 800 dogs and concluded last year.