Okava Pharmaceuticals is a San Francisco-based, clinical-stage company developing therapies to treat chronic diseases in dogs and cats. The company’s mission is simple and ambitious: to help pets live longer, healthier lives, extending lifespan by one to three years.
Okava specializes in repurposing validated human medicines for veterinary use, focusing on obesity, diabetes, and arthritis through long-acting, reversible drug delivery implants. By leveraging decades of human R&D, Okava addresses a long-standing gap in veterinary medicine while accelerating innovation for companion animals.
Veterinary medicine has historically lagged behind human medicine in both research investment and therapeutic innovation.
While human healthcare has benefited from billions of dollars in R&D, many chronic conditions affecting pets remain underserved. Obesity, diabetes, and metabolic disease are increasingly common in dogs and cats, yet few advanced treatment options exist.
At the same time, conducting rigorous clinical research in veterinary medicine presents challenges. Many studies rely on limited datasets or laboratory models rather than real-world, client-owned animals. For a small, early-stage company like Okava, running a fully randomized, human-style clinical trial required both scientific rigor and practical efficiency, without the cost and complexity of traditional enterprise clinical systems.
"This was our third EDC platform," says CEO Michael Klotsman. "And this was by far the easiest build. It's very user-friendly, and the support has been phenomenal. Questions get answered within 30 minutes."
Okava partnered with Captivate through the Weidley’s Wish program to support their groundbreaking GLP-1 study, internally referred to as “Pawzempic.”
The study is the first fully randomized GLP-1 trial conducted in client-owned animals, designed with a structure comparable to a human Phase 2B study. It evaluates weight loss alongside cardiometabolic markers such as insulin and A1C, providing clinically meaningful data to guide future development.
Using Captivate® EDC, Okava was able to design and build the study in-house. The platform’s intuitive interface and responsive support allowed a small team to manage a complex clinical trial efficiently and confidently.
Through Weidley’s Wish, Okava gained access to enterprise-grade clinical technology without enterprise-level cost barriers, allowing the team to focus on science rather than infrastructure.
Although the study is ongoing and not yet pivotal, its impact has already been significant.
Early findings have drawn national attention, highlighting the growing importance of GLP-1 therapies in veterinary medicine. The trial is considered historic, setting a new standard for rigor in companion animal research and providing critical data to inform Okava’s future pivotal studies.
Beyond the data itself, Captivate enabled Okava to execute a highly structured, randomized study while maintaining agility as a startup. The platform supported efficient collaboration, real-time oversight, and confidence in trial execution, all within a lean operational model.
“If we keep pets leaner and healthier,” Klotsman notes, “that translates into more years with them. And who wouldn’t want another year or two with their dog or cat?”
Okava plans to expand its research across additional indications, including feline diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and canine metabolic health. Over the next five years, the company aims to pursue long-term longevity studies that further explore how improved metabolic health can extend both lifespan and quality of life for pets.
As veterinary medicine continues to evolve into a multi-billion-dollar industry, Okava remains focused on bridging the gap between human and animal health, supported by partners that make advanced clinical research accessible.
“This has been a great experience,” Klotsman says. “We hope to continue partnering on future studies.”
