INDUSTRY NEWS
The Dawn of a New Era: typography
Ready-to-Use Stem Cell Therapies in Veterinary Medicine
By Dr. Linda Black
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he FDA’s recent approval of the first allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy for humans marks one of the most striking achievements in medicine, and specifically regenerative medicine, over the past decade. This milestone highlights the power of stem cells in targeting the underlying drivers—not just treating the symptoms—of severe, inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases.

Until recently, veterinary practitioners have watched these advances from the sidelines, but now, ready-to-use stem cells for companion animals are poised for approval, meaning these groundbreaking solutions will soon be offered by veterinary practices.

Stem Cell Therapies in Practice
Autologous stem cell treatments became available to veterinary practitioners in 2006. Early approaches required veterinarians to first surgically collect tissues like fat or bone marrow from diseased patients.1 Specialized external laboratories were then required to isolate and process the cells before they were injected back into the same patient.

Although these therapies showed promise, they were time-consuming, costly, technically demanding, delayed patient treatment and had to be done on a case-by-case basis. These challenges limited how widely such treatments could be adopted, especially in smaller practices.

Today, an alternative approach uses stem cells sourced from FDA-qualified healthy donor animals. One therapeutic platform in development sources stem cells from the uterine tissue of animals collected through a routine spay procedure. Once collected, these tissues are processed under strict FDA-regulated conditions to ensure the highest purity, stability, potency and quality, then stored frozen.

Ready-to-use therapies are easily stored and administered in the clinic. Much like other new revolutionary products such as the monoclonal antibody for canine parvovirus, stem cells come pre-packaged and frozen, making it easy to offer innovative therapies that align with modern, minimally invasive, in-clinic, same-day treatments.

When needed, veterinary care providers simply thaw a vial and deliver the cells intravenously, much like giving fluids. This allows every veterinary practice to offer regenerative, disease-modifying cell therapy to their patients on demand, potentially targeting multiple diseases during a single visit.

Systemic administration and action of MSCs is especially important for diseases affecting multiple tissues. For example, feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS) is known to cause severe, painful, inflammatory oral lesions, but also esophageal and systemic inflammation, both of which can dramatically impact quality of life.2 A single intravenous injection of stem cells can target immune dysregulation throughout the body, dampening symptoms such as inflammation, but also healing tissues at multiple sites.3,4

Stem Cell Therapies and Tissue Healing
Ready-to-use stem cell therapies offer a multifaceted way to combat diseases rooted in inflammation and immune dysfunction. While many conditions in pets are characterized by inflammation, that inflammation represents a deeper immunological imbalance. For example, osteoarthritis (OA) involves more than just inflamed joints; it also includes abnormal signaling between immune cells within the synovium and cartilage, creating a vicious cycle of tissue damage.5 Targeting OA-related symptoms with medications like non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and anti-nerve growth factors fails to address the deeper immune dysfunction at a cellular level, which ultimately drives the disease process.

Stem cells, in contrast, function as immune-balancing factories within the body. Signals from diseased tissues are like magnets, drawing stem cells to the site of tissue injury. There, they secrete compounds that restore balance across multiple immune pathways.6

This custom-tailored, widespread action can yield long-term effects, including reduced inflammation, normalized tissue function, and slowed or even reversed disease progression—all through a biologically normal healing process that doesn’t affect non-diseased tissues and organs.7 And, since MSCs are living cells designed to support natural healing, they have well-established safety across multiple species, with few reports of relevant side effects.8,9

A Game-Changer in Veterinary Medicine
MSC therapies address the root causes of disease by recalibrating cellular signaling pathways to offer healing at a tissue and systemic level, rather than merely masking or reducing symptoms such as pain or inflammation. This physiological rebalancing impacts disease symptoms but, more importantly, halts destructive cycles of tissue degeneration, which is particularly relevant for many chronic, life-altering conditions such as OA, atopic dermatitis and chronic kidney disease.10
Many studies suggest that stem cell therapy can lead to sustained clinical benefits.3,11 For pets that would otherwise require long-term medication and frequent office visits, this can dramatically reduce treatment burden while increasing patient longevity and quality of life. By limiting drugs and supportive treatments, owners also experience relief from ongoing cost, daily care demands and impact on the human-animal bond.
What’s Next?
With a ready-to-use stem cell therapy for FCGS on the horizon, and more indications to come, veterinarians will soon be empowered to make a lasting and impactful difference in the long-term care of their patients. There are many ways for veterinarians to collaborate and become experts in stem cell therapy, which include reading the latest reviews of the subject and by connecting with industry partners committed to this space.
Through ongoing educational opportunities, alongside client outreach via practice websites, emails and in-person consultation during office visits, veterinarians can position themselves at the forefront of this exciting paradigm shift in veterinary medicine.
While veterinarians and their care staff will be key in supporting client adoption of these therapies, pet parents are also expected to play a proactive role in driving the uptake of stem cell therapies. This excitement has already been witnessed through active clinical trial participation.

As the veterinary field waits for regulatory approval of these therapies, now is the time for preparing clinics and pet parents for the future of veterinary care. Through ongoing educational opportunities, alongside client outreach via practice websites, emails and in-person consultation during office visits, veterinarians can position themselves at the forefront of this exciting paradigm shift in veterinary medicine.

Ready-to-use stem cell therapies represent a promising leap forward in treating a multitude of diseases in companion animals. By addressing the fundamental immune imbalances behind common conditions, these treatments offer a path to more meaningful outcomes, supporting longevity, quality of life and the human-animal bond. Thanks to their off-the-shelf and easy-to-use format, MSC therapies will offer a convenient, long-term solution, changing the trajectory of many diseases in pets.

The dawn of a new era is here, allowing veterinarians to shift pet owners’ hopes and expectations toward long-term, holistic, life-altering therapy.

References:
  1. Black L, Gaynor J, Gahring D, et al. Effect of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem and regenerative cells on lameness in dogs with chronic osteoarthritis of the coxofemoral joints: a randomized, double-blinded, multicenter, controlled trial. Vet Ther. 2007;8(4):272-284.
  2. Kouki MI, Papadimitriou SA, Psalla D, et al. Chronic gingivostomatitis with esophagitis in cats. J Vet Intern Med. 2017;31(6):1673-1679.
  3. Soltero-Rivera M, Hart S, Blandino A, et al. Mesenchymal stromal cell therapy for feline chronic gingivostomatitis: Long term experience. Front Vet Sci. 2023;10:1171922.
  4. Taechangam N, Williams V, Hughes M, et al. Pilot efficacy of allogeneic uterine-derived mesenchymal stromal cells for the treatment of refractory feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS). Presented at: North American Veterinary Regenerative Medicine Conference; September 21-24, 2023; Kona, Hawaii.
  5. Orlowsky EW, Kraus VB. The role of innate immunity in osteoarthritis: when our first line of defense goes on the offensive. J Rheumatol. 2015;42(3):363-371.
  6. Meirelles SM, Fontes AM, Covas DT, Caplan AI. Mechanisms involved in the therapeutic properties of mesenchymal stem cells. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev. 2009;20(5-6):419-427.
  7. Voga M, Adamic N, Vengust M, Majdic G. Stem cells in veterinary medicine—current state and treatment options. Front Vet Sci. 2020;7:278.
  8. Wang Y, Yi H, Song Y. The safety of MSC therapy over the past 15 years: a meta-analysis. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2021;12(1):545.
  9. Webb TL, Webb CB. Scoping review of the use of mesenchymal stem and stromal cell products in cats, Part 1: current logistics and safety. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2024;262(S1):S16-S23.
  10. Kriston-Pal E, Haracska L, Cooper P, et al. A regenerative approach to canine osteoarthritis using allogeneic, adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells. safety results of a long-term follow-up. Front Vet Sci. 2020;7:510.
  11. Cabon Q, Febre M, Gomez N, et al. Long-term safety and efficacy of single or repeated intra-articular injection of allogeneic neonatal mesenchymal stromal cells for managing pain and lameness in moderate to severe canine osteoarthritis without anti-inflammatory pharmacological support: pilot clinical study. Front Vet Sci. 2019;6:10.
Dr. Linda Black headshot
Dr. Linda Black is the CEO of Gallant, a pioneering company bringing next-gen stem cell therapies to veterinarians to tackle disease at its source. With over 18 years in biotechnology, she has led corporate development, operations, and R&D, specializing in regenerative medicine for pets. Previously, she held leadership roles at VetStem Biopharma, Medicus Biosciences, and SciStem Therapeutics. Dr. Black earned her DVM from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a PhD in Cell & Molecular Biology from the University of Pennsylvania, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at GlaxoSmithKline. Under her leadership, Gallant is poised to bring the first stem cell therapy to market for cats, with a pipeline of future products.
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