Press Releases
Landmark Licensing Deal in Regenerative Veterinary Medicine a First as Vet-Stem Selects Aratana as Partner to Commercialize Canine Osteoarthritis Stem Cell Product
2014-07-02 --
Vet-Stem, Inc., the leader and pioneer in Regenerative Veterinary Medicine for over a decade, has selected Aratana Therapeutics, a fast-growing pet therapeutics company, as its commercial partner to develop regenerative medicine in the treatment of canine osteoarthritis. Vet-Stem believes that this market validation by Aratana creates the potential for additional future partnerships to develop a portfolio of regenerative medicine products for the veterinary industry. As the best-in-class pet therapeutics company, Aratana believes the development and commercialization of novel new products will permit veterinarians and pet owners to manage pets’ medical needs safely and effectively, resulting in longer and improved quality of life. This commitment parallels Vet-Stem’s evidence-based approach to harnessing the body’s regenerative ability to repair damaged tissue and improve quality of life. Aratana’s focus on pain and osteoarthritis is very complementary to Vet-Stem’s current services and future stem cell products in development.
The initial licensing deal between Vet-Stem and Aratana is a collaboration to co-develop the first off-the-shelf stem cell product for the canine osteoarthritis market in the United States under FDA approval. Under terms of the agreement, additional markets may be developed upon mutual agreement. As many as 2/3 of dogs over 7 years old are affected by osteoarthritis, which has created the largest existing market segment in pet therapeutics. Although currently marketed products can help decrease the crippling symptoms of osteoarthritis, they are not designed to regenerate and heal the damaged tissue that is causing pain. Regenerative medicine focuses on true regeneration of damaged tissues and organs.
Robert Harman, DVM, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Vet-Stem stated, "This initial licensing agreement builds on our foundational stem cell laboratory services by providing resources to develop the next generation of regenerative medicine products. As we complete the final stages of FDA approval of the canine osteoarthritis product with Aratana, our laboratory will continue to provide stem cell laboratory services to our veterinary clients. The extensive experience in clinical stem cell therapy for dogs, cats and horses will allow the continuous flow of FDA product development projects to bring effective and economical regenerative medicine to our industry. We believe regenerative medicine will continue to re-shape the way we approach therapy of all animal patients.”
“We have chosen Aratana as a commercialization partner for our canine osteoarthritis product because of their passionate commitment to novel pet therapeutics, and we look for other potential partners that are passionate about bringing novel products to market to contact us regarding partnering other products in our portfolio,” states Dr. Harman.
Steven St. Peter, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Aratana Therapeutics, stated, “We are pleased to expand our pain franchise further by adding an allogeneic, regenerative cell therapy product, which in addition to reducing the pain of osteoarthritis, has the potential to impact the progression of the disease and to promote tissue regeneration.”
About Vet-Stem, Inc.
Vet-Stem, Inc. is a privately held veterinary biotechnology company founded in 2002 in the leading global biotechnology and bioscience area of San Diego, California. As the first company in the United States to provide an adipose-derived stem cell service to veterinarians for horses, dogs, cats, and some exotics, Vet-Stem has established a strong brand over the last decade that is based in science and backed by industry professionals globally. In the quest to remain the flagship Regenerative Veterinary Medicine Company, Vet-Stem has contributed to 11 peer-reviewed papers including the first blinded, controlled, multicenter study of adipose-derived stem cells for chronic osteoarthritis in the canine hip joint. Vet-Stem currently holds exclusive licenses to over 50 patents including world-wide veterinary rights for use of adipose-derived stem cells, with over 75 patents pending. Over 10,000 animals have been treated using Vet-Stem technology, and the company is actively investigating stem cell therapy for immune-mediated and inflammatory diseases, as well as organ disease and failure.
