UC Davis Equine Research Collaboration Leads to International Award
Dr. Camilo Jaramillo Morales, a recent graduate of the UC Davis Pharmacology/Toxicology graduate group (PhD) and member of the lab of Dr. Heather Knych, was awarded the 2026 Peter Rossdale Equine Veterinary Journal Open Award for the paper, "Vonoprazan pharmacokinetics and effects on gastric pH following administration to fed and fasted horses". The report was co-authored by Benjamin W. Sykes, Daniel S. McKemie, Philip H. Kass and Heather K. Knych and was conducted at the Kenneth L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory. This study was part of a collaboration between Dr. Heather Knych (Maddy Lab) and Dr. Ben Sykes to better understand the behavior of the drug vonoprazan in horses and was funded by the UC Davis Center for Equine Health.
The award and £1000 prize recognize the Equine Veterinary Journal paper that best reflects the journal’s mission to improve clinical practice and advance scientific knowledge in equine veterinary medicine. Presented in honor of Peter Rossdale’s contributions to the British Equine Veterinary Association and the Equine Veterinary Journal, the award celebrates research with outstanding clinical relevance and lasting impact on the health and welfare of horses.
Equine gastric ulcer syndrome is a common ailment, affecting up to 90% of horses. The currently available treatment option, omeprazole, has limitations such as the need for administration on an empty stomach. This study sought to evaluate vonoprazan, a drug that belongs to a newer class of acid suppressants that have been used to successfully treat gastric disorders in humans, in fed and fasted horses.
The results indicated that the drug was well tolerated with no adverse effects after a single dose. The study also showed that food does not affect the absorption of vonoprazan in horses, potentially offering an improvement over treatment that requires fasting prior to administration. Further research is warranted to determine the most effective dose and monitor potential effects after multiple doses.
Morales CJ, Sykes BW, McKemie DS, Kass PH, Knych HK. Vonoprazan pharmacokinetics and effects on gastric pH following administration to fed and fasted horses. Equine Vet J. 2026 Sep;58(5):1363-1371.