Mitratapide is a veterinary medication used for the treatment of overweight and obese dogs sold under the brand name Yarvitan. Its

mechanism of action In pharmacology, the term mechanism of action (MOA) refers to the specific biochemical Drug interaction, interaction through which a Medication, drug substance produces its pharmacological effect. A mechanism of action usually includes mention o ...

involves inhibition of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) which is responsible for the absorption of dietary

lipid Lipids are a broad group of organic compounds which include fats, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E and K), monoglycerides, diglycerides, phospholipids, and others. The functions of lipids include storing ...

s. Clinical study also suggests that mitratapide may help to reverse insulin resistance in dogs. The drug was developed by

Janssen Pharmaceutica Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine (formerly Janssen Pharmaceuticals) is a Belgian pharmaceutical company headquartered in Beerse, Belgium, and wholly owned by Johnson & Johnson. It was founded in 1953 by Paul Janssen. In 1961, Janssen Ph ...

and is chemically related to the

antifungal An antifungal medication, also known as an antimycotic medication, is a pharmaceutical fungicide or fungistatic used to treat and prevent mycosis such as athlete's foot, ringworm, candidiasis (thrush), serious systemic infections such as ...

drugs such as

itraconazole Itraconazole, sometimes abbreviated ITZ, is an antifungal medication used to treat a number of fungal infections. This includes aspergillosis, blastomycosis, coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, and paracoccidioidomycosis. It may be given ...

which were also developed by Janssen. Mitratapide (under the brand name Yarvitan) was authorized for use in the EU by the

European Medicines Agency The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is an agency of the European Union (EU) in charge of the evaluation and supervision of pharmaceutical products. Prior to 2004, it was known as the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products ...

for helping weight loss in dogs, but it has since been withdrawn from the market in the EU.

References

Veterinary drugs Anti-obesity drugs Piperazines Phenylpiperazines Triazoles Ketals Sec-Butyl compounds 4-Chlorophenyl compounds {{veterinary-med-stub