Archive for the ‘VetStem’ Category

Dec 27, 2024

VetStem’s 2024 Year in Review

Posted by Bob under VetStem

We’re just about to the end of 2024, and it’s been an exciting year at VetStem. This year we were pleased to announce the commercial launch of our FDA-reviewed off-the-shelf PRP product, PrecisePRP. As we do every year, we’re wrapping up the VetStem blog with some highlights from the last 12 months. So, without further ado, here is VetStem’s 2024 year in review!

  • In early 2024, we announced that VetStem reached a significant industry leading milestone. As of February, we had processed over 16,000 patient samples resulting in over 38,000 stem cell treatments.
  • At the same time, two of our most prolific small animal users reached a milestone in stem cell cases. Drs. Jeff Christiansen and Kim Carlson both surpassed 300 cases. To date, Dr. Christiansen has performed 342 stem cell collections and Dr. Carlson has performed 326 – wow!
  • In mid April, VetStem sponsored a lab at the annual IVAPM Pain Management Forum for the third year in a row. Veterinarians at this forum have a particular interest in multi-modal pain management and were excited to learn about PrecisePRP.
  • Later in April, we were thrilled to announce that our latest platelet-rich plasma product, PrecisePRP Canine, had completed FDA review and officially became the first FDA-reviewed allogeneic off-the-shelf cell medicine product in the U.S.
  • Shortly afterward, we announced the launch of PrecisePRP Equine, the second allogeneic cell medicine product to complete FDA-review.
  • In May, the VetStem Sales and Marketing team was in Nashville where we sponsored and exhibited at the Fetch DVM360 Nashville veterinary conference. VetStem proponent and pain specialist Dr. Jamie Gaynor delivered two lectures about stem cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma.
  • In July, we shared a fun update about a Sichuan Takin that received VetStem Cell Therapy for arthritis.
  • August saw the VetStem Sales and Marketing team in Kansas City, MO for the annual Fetch DVM360 conference. We sponsored and exhibited at this show where our CEO, Dr. Bob  Harman, delivered two lectures about regenerative medicine.
  • In October, we released updated efficacy data for PrecisePRP Canine. Out of 59 dogs who received PrecisePRP for orthopedic conditions, 47 of them showed significant improvement!
  • Also in October, the Sales and Marketing team was back on the road at the Fetch Coastal veterinary conference in Atlantic City, NJ. VetStem proponent Dr. Alistair Chapnick delivered two lectures on stem cell therapy and PRP.
  • In early December, the Sales and Marketing team wrapped up a busy year of conferences at the final Fetch DVM360 conference in Long Beach, CA. At this show, Drs. Bob Harman and Jamie Gaynor teamed up to deliver two lectures about comprehensive management of osteoarthritis and regenerative medicine.

So, there you have it. Another year in the books. It was an exciting year for us and, as always, we couldn’t do what we do without the support of our veterinary and pet owner clients. We hope that you and your loved ones have a wonderful holiday season, and we look forward to seeing what 2024 has in store for VetStem!

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Dec 13, 2024

VetStem Sponsors Fetch Veterinary Conference

Posted by Bob under VetStem

Last weekend, the VetStem Sales and Marketing team had the privilege of sponsoring, speaking, and exhibiting at the DVM360 Fetch Veterinary Conference in Long Beach, CA. Attending these veterinary conferences is always a fantastic opportunity for us to connect with both current and potential clients in person. At nearly every conference, we run into someone who has had their own pet treated with VetStem Cell Therapy. It’s always inspiring to hear their success stories firsthand!

At this year’s Fetch Long Beach event, our CEO, Dr. Bob Harman, co-presented with pain specialist and VetStem enthusiast, Dr. Jamie Gaynor. Their first lecture focused on a comprehensive approach to managing osteoarthritis. While stem cell therapy is a valuable option for pets with arthritis, many animals benefit from a multimodal treatment plan. The session explored the combination of traditional treatments like NSAIDs and physical rehabilitation with cutting-edge therapies, including CBD and regenerative medicine techniques like stem cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma (PRP). A holistic approach to canine osteoarthritis could lead to more effective outcomes.

In their second lecture, Drs. Harman and Gaynor discussed the broad range of conditions for which pets have received both VetStem Cell Therapy and PRP. While orthopedic conditions such as osteoarthritis and soft tissue injuries continue to be the primary use for stem cells, many pets have also received stem cell therapy for internal medicine conditions such as kidney disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and more! Likewise, PRP has been used for a number of years to manage conditions such as wound healing and corneal ulcers.

As we conclude the 2024 conference season, we want to express our gratitude to everyone who visited our booth and attended our presentations. We are excited to collaborate with many of you in the year ahead!

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Oct 18, 2024

VetStem Sponsored Fetch Coastal Veterinary Conference

Posted by Bob under Veterinary Medicine, VetStem

Earlier this week, the VetStem Sales and Marketing Team exhibited at the annual Fetch Coastal veterinary conference in Atlantic City, NJ. This marks our second time sponsoring this event. Veterinary conferences are a valuable opportunity to connect with our fellow veterinary professionals, share knowledge, and strengthen our industry relationships.

This year, one of VetStem’s experienced small animal users, Dr. Alistair Chapnick of Spot On Veterinary Hospital, delivered two talks at the conference. His first lecture explored the expanding role of stem cell therapy in veterinary medicine. While many are familiar with its use in orthopedics for conditions like osteoarthritis and tendon injuries, recent advancements have highlighted its potential in treating more complex diseases, including kidney failure, inflammatory bowel disease, and gingivostomatitis. Numerous patients have experienced significant benefits from VetStem Cell Therapy for these challenging conditions.

In his second lecture, Dr. Chapnick focused on the diverse applications of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in veterinary medicine. As a cell-based therapy, PRP has shown remarkable success in promoting healing in areas such as orthopedics, wound care, and corneal ulcers. Dr. Chapnick reviewed current literature, presented case studies, and assessed the safety and effectiveness of PRP. He also introduced VetStem’s latest innovation, PrecisePRP™, an off-the-shelf freeze-dried PRP solution. In last week’s blog, we covered some outcome data for PrecisePRP Canine. You can check it out here.

If you missed us in Atlantic City, be sure to catch us at Fetch Long Beach in December or Western Veterinary Conference in March 2025!

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Aug 23, 2024

VetStem Sponsors Fetch DVM360 Veterinary Conference

Posted by Bob under VetStem

This week, we are sponsoring, speaking, and exhibiting at the annual Fetch DVM360 Veterinary Conference in Kansas City, MO. This is our second time sponsoring this show in recent years. Veterinary conferences are a great way for us to get in front of our colleagues in the field to educate and further develop those relationships.

This year, Dr. Bob Harman will deliver two lectures at the conference. The first is about the many uses of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in veterinary medicine. PRP is a cell-based therapy that has been used in veterinary medicine for healing in orthopedics, wounds, corneal ulcers, and more. Dr. Harman will examine the literature and present a few case studies to evaluate the safety and efficacy of PRP. He will also do a deep dive into our latest product, an off-the-shelf freeze-dried PRP, PrecisePRP™.

His second talk will delve into the world of stem cell therapy. Most of us know that stem cells are primarily used in orthopedics for things such as osteoarthritis and injured tendons/ligaments. But in recent years, stem cells have shown great promise in treating some complicated diseases such as kidney failure, inflammatory bowel disease, and gingivostomatitis. Numerous patients have benefited from treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy for these conditions.

If you happen to be at the show, come visit the VetStem team at booth #1200!

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Apr 26, 2024

VetStem Sponsors Lab at IVAPM Pain Management Forum

Posted by Bob under VetStem

The VetStem sales and marketing team just returned from the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM) Pain Management Forum in Indianapolis, IN. For the past few years, VetStem has sponsored a lab at the forum. This year, we sponsored a lab focusing on local blocks and joint injections. It was taught by several instructors including VetStem proponents and pain specialists Dr. Douglas Stramel and Dr. Jamie Gaynor.

Founded in 2001 by a group of veterinarians, the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management unites veterinary professionals across all disciplines from around the world to advocate for best practices in the treatment of pain in animals. The organization is committed to encouraging pain management for all animal species through education and advocacy. They also encourage various veterinary organizations to raise public awareness about pain and pain management as it pertains to veterinary patients.

IVAPM is the leading forum and educational resource for veterinary professionals and pet owners interested in animal pain prevention, management, and treatment. One of the primary goals of IVAPM is to educate the veterinary community to recognize and treat pain in all species of animals. In addition to offering continuing education, they also provide the only interdisciplinary pain management certification program for veterinary professionals.

The Pain Management Forum brings together hundreds of veterinary professionals all advocating for the best practices in the treatment of animals in pain. This year marked the third annual Pain Management Forum. We enjoy attending and supporting the IVAPM Pain Management Forum and look forward to supporting their cause in the coming years!

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Apr 5, 2024

What happens to my pet’s fat at VetStem?

Posted by Bob under VetStem

Have you ever wondered what happens after your pet has fat collected for treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy? If so, we have some good news for you: we’re going to break down the steps in between fat extraction and stem cell injection in this week’s blog!

VetStem Cell Therapy begins the same for every pet. First, your pet must have fat extracted during a minimally invasive anesthetic procedure. For dogs and cats, the fat tissue is most commonly taken from their abdomen while horses tend to have fat taken from their tailhead. Once extracted, the fat is aseptically packaged by your pet’s veterinary team and shipped overnight to VetStem in a temperature-controlled container.

Once VetStem receives the fat tissue, our laboratory team processes the package to ensure there are no potential sterility issues and that the temperature is at or below the maximum acceptable temperature. They also confirm that the pet’s name matches what we have in our database to ensure patient identity. If there are any issues with identity or sterility, processes are delayed until we can rectify the issues.

The fat then goes into process in our laboratory. Lab technicians follow strict protocols using VetStem’s patented technology to process each pet’s fat in sterile hoods in our GMP compliant facility. Stem cells are extracted from each sample and counted using an extremely accurate cell counter so we know exactly how many stem cells we get from each fat sample we process. We also confirm the viability of the cells. This allows us to ensure we provide what are considered to be therapeutic doses.

Meanwhile, our customer service team is busy on the administrative side entering data for each pet who is having fat processed that day. We record everything from breed, sex, age of the pet to injury/condition being treated, concurrent treatments, fat collection site and so much more. Customer Service also generates shipping labels so that doses for each patient can be shipped back to your veterinary team via priority overnight.

Stem cell doses are prepared for your pet based on the specific injection requests from your veterinarian. These doses, like the fat tissue, are packaged carefully in a temperature-controlled container and shipped out the same day for receipt at your veterinary clinic the following morning. Most of the time, your pet will receive their stem cell injections the day the doses are received at the clinic, which is approximately 48 hours after the initial fat collection procedure.

But the fun doesn’t end there! Our lab technicians also store any remaining cells for your pet, which are carefully labeled in one of several cryotanks. The storage location of extra cells is noted in your pet’s file so we can easily locate them for future stem cell recoveries. This means your pet can receive future stem cell treatments as needed without having to undergo another fat collection procedure.

And there you have it: a day in the life of a fat tissue sample at VetStem. If you’re curious about VetStem Cell Therapy, visit our FAQs page for more information.

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Mar 29, 2024

VetStem Celebrates Stem Cell Milestone: Over 16,000 Samples

Posted by Bob under VetStem

We’re back with some big VetStem news! We recently reached an industry leading milestone: VetStem has processed over 16,000 patient samples resulting in over 38,000 stem cell treatments for animals across the U.S. and Canada. That makes for a lot of happy pets and owners!

For over two decades, VetStem has been leading the charge in regenerative veterinary medicine. With our patented technology, we help veterinarians tackle orthopedic and other degenerative conditions. From arthritic joints, injured tendons and ligaments, and even organ failure like kidney disease, VetStem has treated over 40 disease processes in 60 species (including people through our sister company, Personalized Stem Cells).

As you may already know, VetStem is not just helping dogs, cats, and horses. We have also teamed up with numerous exotic animal organizations to provide stem cell therapy for multiple exotic species. Like domestic animals, exotic animals have received stem cell therapy for everything from orthopedic conditions to viral diseases to organ failure to traumatic injuries and more. We take our job very seriously when it comes to the research and development of innovative regenerative medicine treatments for animals and diseases that have minimal treatment options. Just last year, we sponsored a first of its kind stem cell workshop supporting wildlife conservation.

This latest milestone is a testament to the trust that veterinarians and pet owners place in VetStem’s regenerative therapies. And for that, we are incredibly grateful. As we celebrate this achievement and our 20th year providing lifesaving stem cell treatments, we continue to remain committed to ongoing research and development to further expand the applications of regenerative therapeutics.

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Mar 1, 2024

VetStem at Western Veterinary Conference

Posted by Bob under VetStem

We are back from another trip to Las Vegas for the annual Western Veterinary Conference (WVC). WVC is one of the largest veterinary conferences in the field and VetStem has exhibited at this show for nearly 20 years.

Trade shows like WVC provide us with a platform to engage with and inform veterinarians and veterinary technicians from all over the country about the benefits of VetStem Cell Therapy and how to integrate it into their clinical practice. These events offer an excellent opportunity to connect with both current and prospective clients to discuss all things regenerative medicine.

The attendance this year was record breaking at over 20,000 people. We thoroughly enjoyed engaging in conversations with our colleagues and fellow animal lovers. And of course we loved getting to meet all sorts of cute animals! Enjoy some pictures from the show below.

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Dec 15, 2023

VetStem’s 2023 Year in Review

Posted by Bob under VetStem

We can hardly believe 2023 is coming to an end! This was an exciting year for VetStem. We launched a new product and spent much of the year promoting that product at numerous trade shows across the United States. As our final blog of the year, we wanted to share some highlights from the last 12 months at VetStem. So, without further ado, here is VetStem’s 2023 year in review!

  • In late 2022, we began developing our newest product: PrecisePRP, a donor-derived off-the-shelf platelet-rich plasma for dogs and horses. We spent much of early 2023 finalizing the details of manufacturing, marketing, and all of the many pieces that come with developing a novel product such as this.
  • In February, we attended our first of many veterinary conferences in Las Vegas, NV. Western Vet Conference is one of the largest shows in the industry and it was the first time we began previewing the upcoming PrecisePRP.
  • In March, we announced a major expansion of our manufacturing and R&D facilities. We spent much of the year developing these facilities which are comprised of 13,765 square feet of class A biotech space. These facilities have been/will be used for internal VetStem projects, manufacturing for our sister company, Personalized Stem Cells, and for contract manufacturing of new veterinary biologics.
  • In April, VetStem sponsored a dry lab at the annual IVAPM Pain Management Forum for the second year in a row. Veterinarians at this forum have a particular interest in multi-modal pain management and were excited to learn about the upcoming PrecisePRP.
  • In July, VetStem CEO, Dr. Bob Harman, was featured on the Fuzzybutts and Friends podcast to discuss all things stem cell therapy for pets.
  • In August, we announced the soft launch of PrecisePRP, which is currently still undergoing the FDA review process but is available at a discounted price in exchange for outcome data.

    PrecisePRP Canine and PrecisePRP Equine

  • August also saw the VetStem Sales and Marketing team in Kansas City, MO for the annual Fetch DVM360 conference. We sponsored three of the Fetch shows this year and spoke about platelet-rich plasma options at each show.
  • In September, VetStem sponsored a first of its kind stem cell workshop supporting wildlife conservation. The Stem Cell Technology for Genetic Rescue Workshop was held on September 17-20 in La Jolla, CA. Dr. Harman was among 45 global leaders in stem cell science, brought together to share their experience and expertise and to discuss how stem cell technology can further wildlife conservation efforts.
  • Shortly after the workshop, Dr. Harman attended the annual North American Veterinary Regenerative Medicine Association (NAVRMA) conference in Kona, HI. This conference brings together some of the greatest minds in regenerative veterinary medicine.
  • In early October, the Sales and Marketing team was back on the road. We did two shows back-to-back: Fetch Coastal in Atlantic City, NJ where we spoke about PRP and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) conference in Memphis, TN where we sponsored two talks on feline medicine.
  • In late November/early December, the Sales and Marketing team wrapped up a busy year of conferences at the annual American Associate of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) conference in San Diego, CA and the final Fetch DVM360 conference in Long Beach, CA. At both shows, Dr. Harman spoke about PRP and stem cell therapy.

So, there you have it. Another year in the books. It was an exciting year for us and, as always, we couldn’t do what we do without the support of our veterinary and pet owner clients. We hope that you and your loved ones have a wonderful holiday season, and we look forward to seeing what 2024 has in store for VetStem!

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Nov 10, 2023

VetStem Sponsored Wildlife Conservation Stem Cell Workshop

Posted by Bob under Exotic Animals, VetStem

As you may know, VetStem has worked with multiple exotic animal organizations to provide stem cell therapy to several exotic species including elephants, bears, numerous aquatic animals, and big cats, just to name a few. These animals have been treated for everything from orthopedic conditions to viral diseases to organ failure to traumatic injuries and more. Given our great deal of experience, it’s no wonder that VetStem CEO, Dr. Bob Harman, was recently invited to participate in the first of its kind stem cell workshop supporting wildlife conservation.

VetStem user, Dr. Jeff Christiansen, treating Brody, a black bear at the Brevard Zoo

The Stem Cell Technology for Genetic Rescue Workshop was held on September 17-20, 2023, in La Jolla, California. The workshop brought together 45 global leaders in stem cell science to share their experience and expertise and to discuss how stem cell technology can further wildlife conservation efforts. Not only did Dr. Harman bring real life experiences to the discussion, VetStem was also a sponsor of the workshop.

At VetStem, we take our job very seriously when it comes to the research and development of innovative regenerative medicine treatments for animals and diseases that have minimal treatment options. Maintaining the health and well-being of endangered exotic animals is particularly crucial and has become a community effort.

While our primary goal is to bring relief to the animals that need it, there is potential that stored stem cells may aid in wildlife conservation efforts down the line. VetStem has the ability to cryopreserve stem cells and currently has a bank of stem cells from over 40 different exotic animal species. We are happy to contribute to the mission and will continue our own research to develop potentially life-saving stem cell treatments for these animals.

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