POWAY, CA (PRWEB) SEPTEMBER 01, 2015
VetStem Biopharma announces new Clinical Research program for Equine Cervical Facet joint disease.
Equine cervical facet joint problems can be caused by injuries and abnormalities of the cervical spine. Arthritic cervical facet joints gradually enlarge, and can cause impingement of nerve roots or of the spinal cord itself. This can manifest itself as any or all of the following clinical signs: local cervical (neck) pain and stiffness, radicular pain (sciatica), neurologic signs, performance problems, saddling problems, reluctance to collect and go on the bit, neck stuck in fixed position, and front limb lameness.
Conventional treatments for these cervical facet joints (most common being steroid injections) may temporarily reduce inflammation and pain, but ongoing degeneration of the facet joints and their supportive structures can occur, leading to eventual worsening of the problem over time, and shortening the horse's athletic career.
Stem cells have many potential uses, including the treatment of tendon, ligament, bone, and joint injuries. However, there has been no reported clinical research using stem cells to treat cervical facet joint problems in the horse. In an effort to gather data for the treatment of this relatively common problem in the performance horse, VetStem is asking its most experienced clients to participate in this program to help provide information about stem cell therapy for the treatment of cervical spine facet joint disorders in the horse.
Data will be collected at 3 different time points: prior to treatment, and two post treatment. VetStem hopes to be able to publish results for this indication sometime in 2016.
"I am very excited about expanding the VetStem Clinical Research Program. With 25 years of experience in equine medicine, and over 800 patients I have treated myself with adipose derived stem cells, I see many therapeutic indications still unmet. We are working hard at making more regenerative solutions available to equine practitioners", said Dr Ross Rich, VetStem's new Director of Clinical Development.
About VetStem Biopharma
VetStem Biopharma is a veterinarian lead company that was formed in 2002 to bring regenerative medicine to the profession. This privately held biopharmaceutical enterprise, based near San Diego (California), currently offers veterinarians an autologous stem cell processing service (from patients' own fat tissue) among other regenerative modalities. With a unique expertise acquired over the past 12 years and 11,000 patients treated by veterinarians for joint, tendon or ligament issues, VetStem has made regenerative medicine applications a therapeutic reality beyond the realm of research. The VetStem team is focused on developing new clinically practical and affordable veterinary solutions that leverage the natural restorative abilities present in all living creatures. The company's stated mission being "to extend and enhance the lives of animals by improving the quality of recovery in acute conditions, but also by unlocking ways to slow, stop and ultimately revert the course of chronic diseases". In addition to its' own portfolio of patents, Vet-Stem holds exclusive global veterinary licenses to a portfolio of over 55 issued patents in the field of regenerative medicine.
Contact Information
VetStem Biopharma Inc.
Ross Rich
Director of Clinical Research
858-748-2004 ext 315
rrich(at)vetstem(dot)com