Zoetis cat osteoarthritis treatment receives positive EU opinion

Published 12/09/2025, 17:14
Zoetis cat osteoarthritis treatment receives positive EU opinion

PARSIPPANY, N.J. - Zoetis Inc. (NYSE: ZTS), a global animal health company with a market capitalization of $65 billion and strong financial health according to InvestingPro analysis, announced Friday that the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Veterinary Medicinal Products (CVMP) has adopted a positive opinion recommending marketing authorization for Portela (relfovetmab), a new treatment for cats with osteoarthritis pain.

If approved, Portela would become the first long-acting anti-nerve growth factor (NGF) monoclonal antibody therapy for cats, designed to provide three months of pain relief with a single injection. The CVMP recommendation was based on clinical trials showing the treatment was well tolerated, including by cats with early-stage kidney disease.

Osteoarthritis affects up to 40% of cats but is often underdiagnosed, with only 18% of affected cats receiving a diagnosis from veterinary professionals, according to information provided in the company’s statement.

"The long-acting antibody properties of Portela and its unique binding site to NGF will soon offer veterinarians and cat owners in the European Union a new option to alleviate pain associated with osteoarthritis," said Rob Polzer, Executive Vice President and President of Research and Development at Zoetis.

The new treatment would expand Zoetis’s osteoarthritis pain portfolio, which already includes Solensia (frunevetmab), a monthly anti-NGF monoclonal antibody approved in more than 40 countries.

Following the positive opinion, the European Commission is expected to make a final decision during the fourth quarter of 2025, with Zoetis anticipating commercial availability in the European Union in 2026.

Zoetis generated revenue of $9.3 billion in 2024, maintaining impressive gross margins of 71% and demonstrating consistent profitability, and employs approximately 13,800 people worldwide. The company is currently trading near its 52-week low, presenting what InvestingPro analysis suggests could be an attractive entry point. For deeper insights into Zoetis’s financial health and growth prospects, investors can access the comprehensive Pro Research Report, available exclusively to InvestingPro subscribers, covering over 1,400 top US stocks.

In other recent news, Zoetis Inc. reported its second-quarter 2025 earnings, surpassing analysts’ expectations with an earnings per share of $1.76 against the projected $1.62. The company’s revenue also exceeded projections, reaching $2.46 billion, compared to the anticipated $2.41 billion. In a separate development, Zoetis disclosed a $1.85 billion senior notes offering, with $850 million in notes due in 2028 and $1 billion due in 2035. Additionally, Zoetis entered into a new five-year, $1.25 billion revolving credit facility, replacing a previous agreement scheduled to expire in December 2027. UBS recently lowered its price target for Zoetis to $165 from $170, maintaining a Neutral rating after the company’s mixed second-quarter results. These developments reflect the company’s ongoing financial activities and investor interest.

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