Update (June 13, 2026): Lokivetmab Maintains Pruritus Control in 87% of Dogs Across 12 Months — Cohort Data

TL;DR

A prospective 12-month cohort study (Gober 2025, n=75 dogs) found that 87% of dogs maintained pruritus scores below their Day 0 baseline throughout the full observation period, with 93% of owners satisfied and 86% planning to continue treatment.

What just dropped

• Gober and colleagues (2025) followed 75 dogs receiving monthly lokivetmab injections for up to 12 months. At each assessment, 87% (64/75) maintained Pruritus Visual Analogue Scale (PVAS) scores below their own Day 0 baseline; 88% (65/75) maintained mean PVAS below 36 mm. (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11938560/)
• Owner satisfaction was high: 93% (64/69) satisfied with therapy; 86% (59/69) planning to continue. (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11938560/)
• The onset pattern observed in pivotal RCTs, where pruritus scores fell significantly vs placebo within the first assessment period, was sustained across the 12-month window, supporting the durable nature of IL-31 pathway blockade. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27647513/)

Context

Lokivetmab (Cytopoint) targets canine IL-31 — a key pruritogenic cytokine in atopic dermatitis — via monoclonal antibody sequestration. Its pivotal approval RCTs established rapid onset within 24-48 hours and multi-week duration, but were designed for a 28-day primary endpoint. The Gober 2025 cohort provides clinician-relevant data on maintained response across a full year of continuous monthly treatment, which is the pattern used in clinical practice.

The 87% threshold figure (proportion of dogs maintaining PVAS below Day 0 at every assessment) is a strict criterion: it requires sustained benefit at each monthly visit rather than a single endpoint measurement. The 13% who did not consistently meet that threshold included dogs who had at least one visit with scores above baseline without necessarily losing overall control.

From a clinical perspective, the 86% owner continuation intent mirrors the high satisfaction rate and suggests that most dogs and owners experience the therapy as worthwhile across the full year, including the winter-to-summer seasonal cycle typically associated with allergen fluctuation.

What this changes in Lokivetmab (Cytopoint) for Canine Atopic Dermatitis (https://www.thevoyage.ai/forvets/knowledge/lokivetmab-cytopoint-canine-atopic-dermatitis)

The Gober 2025 12-month cohort strengthens the long-term durability evidence on this page. The existing page documents onset and 28-day data from the Michels pivotal RCTs; this update adds a 12-month prospective cohort with defined sustained-response metrics that practitioners can use when discussing expected duration of benefit with clients.

References

1. Gober M et al. 2025. Twelve-month prospective cohort study of lokivetmab in dogs with atopic dermatitis. PMC11938560. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11938560/
2. Michels GM et al. 2016. Safety RCT for lokivetmab in dogs with allergic dermatitis. PMID 27647513. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27647513/

Related reads

• Lokivetmab (Cytopoint) for Canine Atopic Dermatitis: IL-31 Targeting and Clinical Evidence
• Oclacitinib (Apoquel) for Canine Atopic Dermatitis: JAK Inhibition and Clinical Evidence