"Good News for Cat Owners" KAERI's 'ThyroKitty' Receives Government NET Certification

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (hereinafter referred to as KAERI) announced on July 30 that the veterinary radiopharmaceutical "ThyroKitty Injection (I-131)" has become the first radiopharmaceutical in Korea to receive the Agro-Fisheries and Food New Technology (NET) certification from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

ThyroKitty is a treatment for hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is a disease commonly found in cats, caused by excessive secretion of thyroid hormones, which can lead to cardiovascular disorders.

Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs New Agricultural Technology (NET) Certification Logo. Provided by Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute

Until now, the only options for treating this disease were long-term medication or surgery. In contrast, ThyroKitty enables treatment with a single injection, which is why cat owners have been eagerly awaiting its official release. This is the significance of the NET certification.

The NET certification is a system in which the government officially recognizes as new technology those technologies that have been developed for the first time in Korea, or that have been innovatively improved or enhanced from existing technologies, based on a comprehensive evaluation of their technical, economic, and managerial value.

ThyroKitty is the first veterinary radiopharmaceutical in Korea developed to treat hyperthyroidism, and its development began in 2022. Last year, it received approval for clinical trials, which are currently underway.

Interim results from the clinical trials confirmed that a single administration of ThyroKitty was effective in curing cats suffering from hyperthyroidism. The incidence of side effects was only about 5%, demonstrating that ThyroKitty is safer and more effective than existing treatments.

Furthermore, the new technology certification is significant in that it officially recognizes the technical excellence and innovation of ThyroKitty by the government. According to KAERI, as its safety has been proven in clinical trials, the likelihood of product approval has increased further.

Jung Younguk, Director of the Hanaro Quantum Science Research Center at KAERI, stated, "With the NET certification, the foundation has been validated for safely and effectively applying radiation therapy technology to companion animals," and added, "KAERI will strive to ensure that the first veterinary radiopharmaceutical in Korea can be launched in the near future."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.