VetStem Biopharma

Since its formation in 2002, VetStem Biopharma. has endeavored to improve the lives of animals through regenerative medicine. As the first company in the United States to provide an adipose-derived stem cell service to veterinarians for their patients, VetStem pioneered the use of regenerative stem cells in veterinary medicine; VetStem holds exclusive licenses to over 50 patents including world-wide veterinary rights for use of adipose derived stem cells.

In January of 2004 the first horse was treated with VetStem Regenerative Cell Therapy for a tendon injury that would normally have been career ending. By August 2007, 2,000 horses had been treated with their own healing stem cells with a high return to performance rate. By December of 2010, the number of horses treated reached 4,000.

Building on the success in equine cases, in 2005 VetStem began working with select veterinary clinics in treating dogs with osteoarthritis and orthopedic soft tissue injuries. In 2007, VetStem had the first published peer reviewed blinded placebo controlled multi-center study showing a significant difference for stem cell treated dogs in OA of the hip. In May 2007 the company began offering stem cell services for the commercial treatment of dogs and cats, and by January of 2011 over 3,000 had undergone the therapy.

When VetStem began investigating the use of an animal’s own regenerative cells for healing tendon injuries and for easing the pain of osteoarthritis, this form of therapy was not a commonly accepted treatment modality. However, through VetStem’s in-person and online Credentialing Course over 3,000 veterinarians in the U.S. and Canada have been educated regarding the benefits of helping the body to heal itself with stem cells. The course covers topics ranging from current research in Regenerative Cell Therapy, to how to select appropriate cases, to adipose collection and stem cell injection techniques.

Looking to the future, VetStem is actively investigating stem cell therapy for immune-mediated and inflammatory diseases, as well as organ disease and failure. VetStem works with its human medicine partners in the hope that VetStem’s work in the veterinary field will lead to advances in human medical treatment, so that both animal and owner will reap the benefits of these efforts in the form of a markedly improved quality of life.