Trupanion Primed and Ready to Provide Coverage for Lifesaving Medication for Feline Infectious Peritonitis

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05/15/2024 - 09:00 AM

- Lifesaving drugs for Feline Infectious Peritonitis are available to treat cats in Australia, Canada and elsewhere across the globe, and may now become available to cats in the US starting as early as June

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Trupanion (Nasdaq: TRUP), the leading provider of medical insurance for cats and dogs, is poised to increase access for Trupanion members to lifesaving medications for treatment of otherwise deadly Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). Trupanion has been providing coverage where the medications are already commercially available in Australia and Canada and is ready to continue fighting FIP in the United States in June.

The COVID pandemic spurred a slew of new medical research, some of which has provided an unexpected silver lining for our family pets. One is a treatment for an overwhelmingly deadly disease called Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) which is a mutated form of a feline coronavirus. Both domestic and wild cats are susceptible to FIP and it has long been considered fatal regardless of treatment. Not only is this disease fatal, but efforts to treat FIP have been historically fruitless due to a lack of appropriate medication and financial inaccessibility. In fact, Trupanion paid a single invoice on behalf of our member for their infected cat totaling over $53,000.

During the pandemic, an antiviral drug called Remdesivir, originally evaluated to treat Ebola many years earlier, was found to inhibit COVID replication in humans. Remdesivir and closely related drugs called metabolites, have since been discovered to successfully treat FIP in cats and have proven results in multiple countries.

As the leading provider of medical insurance for cats and dogs, and the only provider focused on paying veterinary invoices directly to hospitals in real-time, Trupanion has been providing coverage for these medications for eligible pets in Australia since 2022 when the medication became commercially available. Trupanion quickly aligned coverage in Canada when the treatment was authorized there earlier this year.

Dr. Steve Weinrauch, BVMS, MRCVS, Trupanion’s Chief Veterinary/Product Officer, stated, “At Trupanion, we’re focused on ensuring pets get the care they deserve. We’re excited about the potential to provide coverage for the treatment of FIP here in the U.S. while aligning with FDA guidelines. Already, we’ve covered costs and provided access to care for many Trupanion pet parents in Canada and Australia whose pets were successfully treated with Remdesivir and related drugs. At Trupanion we see 2-3 invoices in North America for FIP every single week. It will be a relief to know that this diagnosis will no longer equal a death sentence for cats in the United States.”

Dr. Stephen Rose, veterinarian and General Manager, Trupanion Australia, reflects, “Having personally attempted treatment for FIP in clinical scenarios in the past, it was difficult and disheartening, but with this new treatment many of these cats are surviving. Being able to provide hope to these impacted cats has been an important part of delivering our mission to allow our members' pets to get the care they deserve. I am pleased to know that cats in the United States will soon have access to the same high-quality care.”

Know the signs of FIP in your cat:

All cats, indoors and outdoors, are vulnerable to FIP in the first two years of their lives. Know the signs so you can catch the onset and seek treatment quickly.

Progressive distention of the abdomen
Difficulty breathing
Long lasting fever
Loss of appetite
Weight loss
Depression
Eye and/or central nervous system signs may occur

Interviews Available

Trupanion's Chief Veterinary Product Officer, Dr. Steve Weinrauch is available to share related insights or to provide context regarding pet health data as it relates to the extensive Trupanion database. Please contact corporate.communications@trupanion.com for scheduling.

About Trupanion

Trupanion is the leading provider of medical insurance for over 1,000,000 cats and dogs throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Puerto Rico and Australia. For over two decades, Trupanion has given pet owners peace of mind so they can focus on their pet's recovery, not financial stress. With its patented process, Trupanion is the only North American provider with the technology to pay veterinarians directly in seconds at the time of checkout. Trupanion is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol "TRUP". The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Seattle, WA. Trupanion policies are issued, in the United States, by its wholly-owned insurance entity American Pet Insurance Company and, in Canada, by Accelerant Insurance Company of Canada. Trupanion Australia is a partnership between Trupanion and Hollard Insurance Company. For more information, please visit trupanion.com.