A new treatment to improve the lifespan of catsーNHK WORLD-JAPAN NEWS
Cats are among the most beloved pets in Japan, numbering over 9 million. However, as they age, they are especially vulnerable to kidney disease. This next report features groundbreaking research by a Japanese scientist who is aiming to combat this disease and possibly double the lifespan of our feline companions. This is Choco. She is 20 years old, which is roughly equivalent to 90 in human years. After showing symptoms such as loss of appetite and vomiting, she was diagnosed with kidney disease. Studies show that around 80% of cats aged 15 to 20 develop kidney disease. Choko’s owner is Naga Hiroi, who injects daily IV drips to rehydrate her. When I first heard that it was kidney failure, I immediately felt that the diagnosis equal death, thinking it was incurable. I was so shocked that I cried for days. But for Nagago and others, there is hope. Groundbreaking research is underway inside this building in Tokyo. This is it, and it’s in powder form. In 1999, Miyazaki Toou discovered a new protein in human blood which he named AIM. He found that it plays a key role in improving kidney function. Miyazaki learned from a veterinarian about the high prevalence of kidney disease in cats. I realized that the reason so many cats die from kidney disease is likely related to this protein AIM. Here’s how AIM functions in the human body. When waste such as dead cell debris accumulates in the kidneys, AIM binds to it. This protein then acts as a marker, enabling immune cells to identify and eliminate the waste, thus helping to protect the body from kidney damage. Miyazaki examined cat blood and confirmed that felines possess AIM, but this protein does not function the same way as it does in humans. In cats, AIM does not bind to waste products, so immune cells cannot locate and eliminate them. Miyazaki came up with the idea to supplement cats with functional AIM to help clear kidney waste. His idea caught the attention of cat lovers who in 2021 raised nearly $2 million in just six months. Because everyone continues to support us in this way, I want to make sure every cat in Japan receives this treatment. I’m aiming to cure even just one incurable disease with our own hands. In May, clinical trials for the AIM CAP treatment began at 26 veterinary hospitals across Japan. Miyazaki hopes the new drug will be approved by 2027. It may not be long before we see a 30-year-old cat, or one even older, yawning on the sofa.
Groundbreaking research is underway in Japan that’s aiming to cure a cat disease which shows promise to improve their lifespans. #japan #medical #cat #disease
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