Brand Name: Librela™

 in the US; Beransa in Australia

Available in 5, 10, 15, 20, or 30 mg/mL sterile injectable solution

Single-use vials without preservatives

Uses of This Medication

Bedinvetmab is indicated for the relief of osteoarthritis pain in dogs. 

• It is given by your veterinarian as a once-a-month subcutaneous (under the skin) injection.
• Dosage is determined by the dog’s weight.

How This Medication Works

The active substance in Librela™ is bedinvetmab, a monoclonal antibody (a type of protein made in the laboratory) designed to recognize and attach to a protein produced in your dog’s body called nerve growth factor (NGF). Once attached, bedinvetmab prevents NGF from attaching to its receptors (targets) on nerve cells and interrupts the transmission of pain signals. It also helps decrease inflammation.

Side Effects

• Because it is an antibody, the body handles bedinvetmab much differently than other drugs. This reduces the risk of side effects and drug interactions.
• Possible pain at the injection site, dermatitis (skin inflammation), bacterial skin infection, urinary tract infections.

• The most common adverse events reported while the drug was being approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were urinary tract and skin infections and other skin lesions. The injection site was often painful.
• Librela™ has been used to treat a large number of dogs since its approval. The FDA has been able to review reactions that have occurred in a large number of dogs that have been treated with Librela™   .
• These reports were sent to the FDA by owners or veterinarians. Based on this review, additional possible reactions may occur. These are described below in decreasing order of frequency.

• • The most common system affected by reactions is the nervous system. The most common reactions were ataxia (clumsy walking), followed by seizures, paralysis, and then loss of sensation in the limbs.  
  • General reactions included poor appetite and lack of energy.
  • In the urinary system, the most common reaction was increased drinking, followed by increased urination frequency and volume. Some animals also leaked urine.
  • In the gastrointestinal tract, vomiting was most common, followed by diarrhea.
  • The most common reaction involving the musculoskeletal system is weakness, followed by tremors and then lameness.

Interactions with Other Drugs

• No interactions were seen in field studies where this veterinary medicinal product was administered along with veterinary products containing parasiticides, antimicrobials, topical antiseptics with or without corticosteroids, antihistamines, and vaccines.
• If vaccines are to be administered at the same time as the injection of bedinvetmab, injections should be given at different sites to reduce any potential impact of immunogenicity (immune response) of a vaccine.

Contraindications

• Not intended for use in dogs under 12 months of age.
• Not intended for use in dogs intended for breeding.
• Contraindicated in pregnant or lactating dogs.

Concerns and Cautions

It is not recommended that owners give the bedinvetmab injection to pets themselves. Women who are pregnant, trying to conceive, or breastfeeding should take particular care to avoid self-injection, as hypersensitivity reactions like anaphylaxis (allergic reaction) could potentially result.

Vials should be discarded after being punctured.

Because bedinvetmab is administered only at your veterinarian’s office, pet owners will not need to be concerned with the drug’s storage or disposal of used vials.