Odacova Health’s nine-year dog study links MHCR-1 to calorie restriction benefits

Odacova Health is highlighting findings from a nine-year canine research program surrounding the performance and safety of its lead bioactive, MHCR-1. The bionutrition company designed the botanical-derived ingredient based on the biology of calorie restriction, translating it into a “healthy-aging platform for dogs without requiring them to eat less.” 

The ingredient was developedin collaboration with former National Institute on Aging (NIA) scientists who co-originated calorie restriction mimetics. The multi-year study evaluated MHCR-1’s impact on dogs’ metabolic health, age-associated gene expression, muscle function, and safety.

Although the study results have not yet been published, the company’s co-founder and chief scientific officer, Dr. Ajay Srivastava, presented its key findings at the Animal Longevity Summit 2026 on October 1–2.

He noted that dogs receiving MHCR-1 maintained a statistically significant difference in fasting glucose trajectories compared to control animals. According to Odacova Health, this may reflect a reduction of a key metabolic aging marker.

Looking at gene-expression findings in dogs, MHCR-1 also appeared to shift gene-expression patterns toward profiles similarly to those seen in younger animals, said Srivastava.

Odacova Health says it is now evaluating potential development and commercialization pathways with strategic industry partners in companion animal health and nutrition.

Metabolic mimicry

MHCR-1’s scientific foundation was created with former NIA scientists Dr. Donald Ingram and Dr. George Roth, who helped establish the field of calorie restriction mimetics in 1998 and now serve as founding scientific advisors to Odacova.

“The calorie restriction mimetic concept was developed to explore whether aspects of restriction biology could be reproduced without requiring restriction itself,” says Roth. “Odacova’s canine research program represents an ambitious effort to examine that concept in a companion-animal setting.”

Odacova Health says it is now evaluating potential development and commercialization pathways for MHCR-1 with strategic industry partners in pet health and nutrition.In addition to the findings on dogs’ metabolic health, Odacova Health notes that a separate mouse model of diet-induced obesity indicates that MHCR-1 shifted selected obesity-associated expression patterns toward lean reference profiles, offering cross-species evidence of the bioactive’s influence on metabolic health.

For function over time, Odacova Health says an age-adjusted analysis revealed significantly higher cumulative muscle power in MHCR-1-treated dogs across multiple years of testing, supported by favorable trends in real-world activities of daily living.

“Pet longevity should not be defined by promises, isolated biomarkers, or what might happen years from now. It should be defined by evidence generated over time and across the interconnected biological systems that shape aging,” says Cindy Tsang, co-founder and CEO of Odacova Health.

“That is the standard Odacova is working to establish with MHCR-1. We are not entering this category to follow the benchmark; we are working to set a new one for evidence-led pet longevity.”

Safety and intellectual property

The safety analysis within the research program included longitudinal safety observations, alongside a separate target-animal safety study and pharmacokinetic research.

Odacova Health has filed provisional patent applications covering aspects of the MHCR-1 platform and says it is continuing to expand its intellectual property portfolio as commercial product development progresses.

“I’ve spent 30 years studying calorie restriction, and the single biggest obstacle was never proving that it works — it was making it usable,” says Ingram. “A multi-year canine program provides an important opportunity to examine whether aspects of calorie restriction biology can be approached in a practical and scientifically responsible way.”

Pet nutrition science continues to close the gap between human and animal nutrition products. For example, Mars Pet Nutrition recently shared five of its latest emerging insights on canine R&D on International Dog Day.

In new product innovations, Royal Canin launched Royal Canin Fresh Veterinary Diets — its first fully cooked therapeutic diet portfolio sold exclusively through veterinarians in the US. The line is formulated to support dogs with specific health conditions, including gastrointestinal needs, food sensitivities, and reduced appetite.