Stem Cell Treatments for Animals are Changing the Game
Humans tend to become weaker, sicker, and more prone to injury as they age, and animals are no different. The role of domesticated pets has significantly evolved since the days when dogs and cats would roam wild on farms next to goats and cows. Today, most families have one or two pets that they treat like children, buying them the highest quality food and taking them to the vet regularly. This type of care is reflected in the changing caliber of veterinary practices around the country; vet clinics have largely become sophisticated, technologically-advanced centers for groundbreaking care that often rivals what regular human doctors are doing.
Given all of this, it only makes sense that veterinarians are seriously pursuing regenerative medicine as the newest avenue to offer pets efficient, safe, and long-lasting treatment plans. From bone-marrow transplants and cancer vaccines to therapeutic antibody trials, vets around the country are proving that they are very much a part of this new biotech boom.
The Nexvet Clinical Trial
Sometimes inspiration comes in the most unlikely forms, and in this case it came from a 12-year-old Maltese dog named Jonah hailing from Tennessee. Jonah had suffered from painful, damaged knees that caused his body to become curled and stiff. Rather than undergoing surgery or being forced to take painkillers with terrible side effects, Jonah instead participated in a clinical trial of Nexvet, a therapeutic antibody that can treat pain. After the treatment, Jonah recovered and was once again able to trot effortlessly next to his enamoured owner.
The Nexvet of Dublin company was founded in 2011 and has since raised more than $80 million to achieve its goals of helping animals using regenerative medicine. Their therapeutic antibodies in particular are created from antibodies already approved as human medicine that are then altered to be accepted by cats and dogs. It’s already predicted that the Nexvet treatment, once approved for market sales, will cost about $1,500 a year, a cost that doesn’t scare most dog owners, who only want the best for their furry friends.
Other Regenerative Medicine Treatments Aimed at Animals
Nexvet isn’t slowing down, and the company has now turned its attention to developing antibodies that block a certain protein called PD-1 in animals. When PD-1 is suppressed, the immune system can fight cancer without any obstacles. This concept has already shown great promise in humans, so now it’s time to test it on pets.
Another company, Aratana, also wants to help pets fight cancer with the use of a vaccine that targets malignant cells. Aratana is even working to harness the stem cells found in animal fat to alleviate joint pain for pets with arthritis and other joint conditions.
CAVU Biotherapies, meanwhile, devotes itself to treating doggy lymphoma by isolating a sick dog’s immune cells, placing them in a culture to revive them, and injecting them back into the dog’s blood to generate a stronger and longer lasting immune response against the cancer.
Though these treatments aren’t always cheap, pet insurance providers are becoming more accepting of certain regenerative medicine treatments, with some even willing to cover bone-marrow transplant procedures. As more veterinarians embrace these different forms of treatments, regenerative medicine will continue to earn itself a reputation as the best and most reliable form of medical treatment for humans and animals alike.
