3.7 Stem Cells: MediVet At The Forefront Of Scientific Revolution
by Mary Simon Thoroughbred Times
September 28, 2011
Stem cells are as old as life itself, yet these ancient, microscopic entities play a starring role in cutting-edge 21st century bioscience - a science that may just be the future of medicine, both human and equine.
These cells - in this case, undifferentiated adult stem cells, as opposed to controversial embryonic cells - have been called the “building blocks of life,” and for good reason: They are essentially the body’s “repairmen,” capable under the right conditions of transforming into a broad range of specialized cells, such as those of skin, muscle, cartilage, and ligaments. This repair work is a natural inner process, but one that is being increasingly enhanced through the practice known as stem-cell therapy.
Among the leaders of this scientific revolution is the Australian-based animal health care company MediVet, which has developed its own patented in-house stem cell processing and activating systems. Since its founding, the company has grown globally, with divisions in North and South America, Europe, and Asia, and with a state-of-the-art technical support lab located in Nicholasville, Kentucky.
The technology was brought to this country by racehorse owner Jeremy Delk, MediVet America’s chief executive officer. With an economic investment in the sport, Delk experienced first hand the expense, frustration, and time-consuming nature of traditional treatments such as surgery and medication in treating tendon and ligament injuries, and fractures. The non-invasive MediVet system held unique appeal because clinical trials were showing it to be fast, safe, and very successful in treating racing-related problems, without drugs or surgery, with rapid recovery turnaround, and with virtually no side effects.
Although veterinary stem-cell therapy had been around for more than a decade, the process was generally difficult and painful, with cells extracted from bone marrow and then shipped to distant labs for culturing. The “harvesting” procedure was not only tough on the patient, but it could take weeks before the actual treatment was ready for delivery, and during that time nearly half of the fragile stem cells could be lost.
MediVet’s answer to this came in 2010 when it unveiled a system that would enable veterinarians to do “in-house” or “in-clinic” cell processing. With the company’s patented Adipose (fat)-Derived Stem Cell Procedure Kit, cells could be retrieved from fatty tissue, then broken down, filtered, cleansed, activated on-site, and re-injected back into the animal at the point of injury within hours.
The advantages of this were significant. Far more cells were available from each harvest and more would survive due to the quick processing time; by eliminating the middle man and shipping expenses, the therapy became more affordable; the minimally invasive harvesting technique (via liposuction of fat deposits near the tail) proved easier, less traumatic, and resulted in fewer complications than with marrow extraction. Most importantly, radiographic scans of injuries treated with this method have indicated marked improvement within 30 days.
Mary Simon is a Thoroughbred Times contributing editor.
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