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VetStem CEO Presents Stem Cell Data at Global Elephant Viral Disease Symposium

VetStem CEO, Dr. Bob Harman, recently presented stem cell data at the Global Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV) Symposium.

2022-02-08 --

VetStem founder and CEO, Dr. Bob Harman, recently presented stem cell treatment data at the Global Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV) Symposium. The three-day virtual event, which was put on by the North American EEHV Advisory Group, occurred in late January 2022. EEHV is a lethal viral infection that affects Asian elephants and now, increasingly, African elephants and can cause a highly fatal hemorrhagic disease.

The mission of the EEHV Advisory Group is to decrease elephant sickness and death due to EEHV. According to their website, they provide “peer-reviewed, accurate information that reflects current thinking on the research and management of EEHV in both wild and captive elephants globally.” The Global EEHV Symposium is a meeting where top researchers, veterinarians, and elephant husbandry colleagues from across the globe get together to present case reports, research findings, vaccine research, and treatment options.

Dr. Harman, CEO and founder of veterinary regenerative medicine company, VetStem, Inc., was invited to present stem cell data for the treatment of EEHV. The company has provided stem cell doses to several zoos in the United States who had elephants with EEHV. According to Dr. Harman, the preliminary data is promising. He stated, “While it is still very early, we are optimistic that stem cell therapy may be a viable treatment option for elephants with EEHV. Stem cells have numerous mechanisms of action, including the secretion of molecules that are anti-viral. In this limited set of elephants with severe EEHV, the stem cells seemed to be very effective. Much research is still needed to verify the proper dose and timing of this novel therapy.”

According to Dr. Harman, the idea to treat EEHV elephant patients with stem cells came from a stem cell clinical trial for COVID-19. VetStem’s sister company and human counterpart, Personalized Stem Cells, Inc. (PSC), received FDA approval for a COVID-19 stem cell clinical trial in July 2020. The Phase 1 clinical trial had an extremely positive safety and efficacy profile and resulted in multiple ongoing Phase 2 clinical trials.

VetStem invites inquiries from public and private zoos across the United States who have questions or interest in participating in this novel stem cell EEHV therapy development with VetStem’s veterinary research team. Contact VetStem directly here.