What Is MEOW-1?

MEOW-1 — Management of Excess Overweight cats With OKV-119 — is a clinical trial run by Okava Pharmaceuticals testing whether their experimental implant safely reduces weight in overweight pet cats. It's the first formal clinical trial of a pet-specific GLP-1 receptor agonist anywhere in the world. The trial started December 2025 and is enrolling roughly 50 cats with the trial running over a 3-month primary period and an optional 3-month extension. Results are expected summer 2026.

If MEOW-1 succeeds, OKV-119 becomes the first pharmaceutical weight loss drug ever approved for companion animals. If it fails, the field resets — Akston's AKS-562c is the only other active candidate, and it's a different drug with a different delivery format.

What Is OKV-119?

OKV-119 is a small subcutaneous implant designed to slowly release exenatide — a GLP-1 receptor agonist — over approximately six months. Exenatide is the same active ingredient in Byetta and Bydureon, two human diabetes medications first approved by the FDA in 2005. Okava's innovation is the delivery format: instead of weekly injections (the human-side standard for exenatide), they've engineered a small biodegradable implant placed under the skin during a routine vet visit.

MEOW-1 Trial Design

Why MEOW-1 Matters

61% of US cats are overweight or obese, per the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention clinical survey. That's roughly 50 million cats. There is currently no FDA-approved pharmaceutical weight loss option for any companion animal — none for cats, none for dogs. Slentrol (dirlotapide), the only veterinary weight loss drug ever approved by the FDA, was voluntarily discontinued by Pfizer Animal Health in 2013.

What MEOW-1 Will Measure

• •Body weight change at 3 months and 6 months
• •Body Condition Score (BCS) change on the standard 9-point scale
• •Adverse events — particularly gastrointestinal effects (nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite)
• •Hepatic safety — liver enzymes monitored to detect any hepatic lipidosis risk
• •Implant tolerance — local reactions at the implant site
• •Owner-reported quality of life measures

What Happens After MEOW-1 Reads Out

1. Trial succeeds clearly: Okava files for FDA approval (likely late 2026 or early 2027). Approval typically takes 12-18 months for veterinary drugs. Commercial launch realistic 2027-2028.
2. Trial succeeds with caveats: A second pivotal trial may be required before approval, pushing launch to 2028-2029.
3. Trial fails on efficacy: OKV-119 program likely shelved or pivoted. Field resets to Akston AKS-562c as the only remaining candidate.
4. Trial fails on safety: Worse outcome — also resets the field, and may delay GLP-1 approvability for cats by years while regulators work through whatever signal emerged.