Boehringer Ingelheim Rolls Out SCOVELLA®: First SGLT-2 Inhibitor for Equine Hyperinsulinemia

INGELHEIM, GERMANY / LONDON, UK — Boehringer Ingelheim has initiated the commercial launch of SCOVELLA® (velagliflozin oral solution) in Great Britain, marking a breakthrough in equine metabolic therapeutics. The product is the first approved equine-specific pharmaceutical therapy developed to manage insulin dysregulation (ID) and hyperinsulinemia—the primary driver behind laminitis.

Clinical & Strategic Impact

• Addressing an Unmet Cause of Laminitis: Insulin dysregulation affects up to 20% of horses and ponies, causing over 90% of all laminitis cases. With nearly one-third of laminitic horses euthanized within 12 months of diagnosis, therapeutic options were previously limited to dietary restriction and exercise modification.

• Mechanism of Action: SCOVELLA® operates as a selective sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor, promoting renal glucose excretion to rapidly reduce elevated blood insulin levels within days of treatment initiation.

• Trial Efficacy: In controlled challenge trials, 0% of horses treated with SCOVELLA® developed clinical laminitis, compared to 38% in non-treated control cohorts.

• Commercial Debut: The oral liquid formulation will debut at the BEVA (British Equine Veterinary Association) Congress before launching into broader international markets.