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  • PANOQUELL-CA1 vs Brenda Z: Same Active Ingredient, Different Market and Label Context

    Oct 11, 2026

    PANOQUELL-CA1 and Brenda Z both contain fuzapladib, but they are different products under different national labels. PANOQUELL-CA1 is conditionally approved by FDA for management of clinical signs associated with acute onset of pancreatitis in dogs, and its label governs use in the United States. Brenda Z is a Japanese-approved product whose label, vial contents and course of treatment are not the US label.

    Match the product, market and label

    Label field PANOQUELL-CA1 (United States) Brenda Z (Japan)
    Active ingredient Fuzapladib sodium Fuzapladib sodium hydrate
    Regulator and status FDA conditional approval, application number 141-567, approved November 14, 2022 Approved in Japan; the national veterinary drug database lists approval dates of 2018-09-28, 2023-01-18 and 2025-02-21
    Sponsor or marketer Sponsor Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd. (Osaka); launched in the US in 2023 in partnership with Ceva Animal Health Marketed by Nippon Zenyaku Kogyo (Zenoaq); Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha separately markets a Japanese product named Brenda
    Labeled indication Management of clinical signs associated with acute onset of pancreatitis in dogs Improvement of clinical signs in the acute phase of pancreatitis in dogs
    Dosage form and supply Powder for injection; two vials, one with 14 mg fuzapladib sodium powder and one with 3.9 mL bacteriostatic water diluent containing 1.8% benzyl alcohol; 4 mg/mL after reconstitution Freeze-dried powder in a vial containing 4 mg fuzapladib sodium (as anhydrous); labeled for dissolving in 1 mL of Japanese Pharmacopoeia water for injection
    Labeled course Once daily for 3 consecutive days by intravenous bolus injection Described in Japanese veterinary sources as a once-daily course of up to 5 days; the exact course should be read from the Japanese label
    Dispensing Prescription; for use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian Prescription-directed veterinary drug (要指示医薬品)
    Extra-label use Prohibited by federal law for conditionally approved drugs Governed by Japanese rules, which are not described in the sources reviewed

    The US kit and the Japanese vial differ in fuzapladib content, diluent and labeled course. The ingredient is shared, and the products are not interchangeable. HERO also publishes a separate overview of the Japanese Brenda Z injection and how to verify a product's identity, which is background reading and does not replace the label comparison above.

    What the US pilot study established

    FDA's conditional approval rests on a pilot field study in client-owned dogs with acute onset pancreatitis. The primary measure was the change in the modified clinical activity index (MCAI) score from day 0 to day 3. The manufacturer's summary of the FDA data reports a statistically significant reduction in MCAI scores with fuzapladib compared with vehicle control (P = 0.0193), with mean day 0 scores of 8.53 and 7.68 in the two groups. The published report of the trial (Steiner and colleagues, Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2023) concludes that administration of fuzapladib was safe and that a favorable response was detected in two clinical activity scores.

    Several features limit what that result can show. It is a pilot study, and FDA's conditional approval standard is a reasonable expectation of effectiveness, not substantial evidence of effectiveness. A published letter to the editor raised concerns about the study's methodology and the interpretation of its results. The label includes the common adverse reactions of anorexia, digestive tract disorders and respiratory tract disorders. Facial and tongue swelling, collapse and seizure have been reported voluntarily within 24 hours of administration after approval in dogs in foreign markets.

    The label also states that safe use has not been evaluated in dogs with cardiac disease, hepatic failure or renal impairment, in dogs that are pregnant, lactating or intended for breeding, or in dogs under 6 months of age. These statements describe gaps in the evidence. They do not predict the outcome in a particular dog.

    What conditional approval does and does not mean

    FDA says a conditionally approved drug has gone through the drug approval process except that it has not yet met the effectiveness standard for full approval. When used according to the label, it is safe and has a reasonable expectation of effectiveness. The approval is valid for one year and can be renewed annually for up to four more years, for a total of five years. The "CA1" suffix shows that FDA conditionally approved the drug and that this is the first conditionally approved application for it. Manufacturer materials dated mid-2026 still describe PANOQUELL-CA1 as conditionally approved.

    FDA also states that the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act does not allow extra-label use of conditionally approved animal drugs, and that such drugs may only be prescribed for the labeled uses. Their labeling says: "It is a violation of Federal Law to use this product other than as directed in the labeling." A hospital therefore cannot treat another fuzapladib product as a US-labeled substitute.

    What transfers and what does not

    The shared ingredient means a veterinarian can read research on fuzapladib. That is evidence about an ingredient, not an approval of a particular vial for a particular dog in a particular country.

    • Approval does not transfer. A Japanese approval does not make a product conditionally approved in the United States, and FDA's conditional approval does not describe Japan's product.

    • The labeled course does not transfer. The US label describes 3 consecutive days, and Japanese veterinary sources describe a longer course.

    • Study results do not transfer automatically. The US pilot study tested the US formulation under the US labeled course.

    • Sourcing is a separate question. Neither label establishes whether a particular shipment can be lawfully dispensed in the United States. That question belongs to the hospital and its pharmacy.

    Vial-label verification card

    Acute pancreatitis needs veterinary care, and acute pancreatitis in dogs, its causes, symptoms and emergency care is covered in a separate HERO article. This card is for conversations with the hospital after treatment is under way or being discussed, not for self-treatment.

    • Name on the carton and vial. PANOQUELL-CA1 for the US product, or Brenda or Brenda Z (ブレンダ, ブレンダZ) for Japanese products.

    • Regulatory statement. A US label should say "Conditionally approved by FDA pending a full demonstration of effectiveness under application number 141-567." A Japanese label carries Japanese-language statements and a different marketing authorization holder.

    • Manufacturer or marketer. Ceva and Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha for the US product, or Nippon Zenyaku Kogyo (Zenoaq) for Brenda Z.

    • Package contents. The US kit has a powder vial and a separate diluent vial, while the Japanese product is a single vial of freeze-dried powder.

    • Strength and lot information. Record the amount of fuzapladib on the vial, the lot number and the expiration date.

    • Reason for use. Ask which labeled product the hospital is using and why.

    Note any mismatch for the veterinarian in plain terms: which name and market the vial shows, which regulatory statement it carries, and how that compares with what was described. If the information does not match, the hospital or its pharmacy should clarify which product is being used, because a conditionally approved US label and a Japanese label are different documents.

    References


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