Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
indicate that their products may be available for general consumption
soon. Mesoblast's commercial model is based on the creation of off-
the-shelf products to fit human clinical needs.
1.3.5 Non-humanapplications
The uses of animal stem cell products is potentially viable in all the
previous categories, with the additional possibility that techniques
banned with human tissue, like the use of embryonic stem cell science
for making reproductive clones, are permissible and may prove to have
beneficial applications. As will be discussed in Chapter 2, cloning has
been attempted for domestic pets, racehorses and prize-winning cattle.
Also, one rapidly growing application of stem cell technologies in
animals (and humans too) concerns the use of fat stem cell derived
tissues for the treatment of joint and bone disorders. VetStem (
http://
www.vet-stem.com
) is a company that relies on a network of
veterinarians to collect fat samples from their non-human patients, in
this case mainly dogs, cats and horses, for processing in their facilities in
San Diego. VetStem's website says they are able to return the processed
sample within 24 hours to the veterinary practice, pre-packaged in
ready-to-use syringes for injection into the body part of the animal
requiring treatment. There is a range of injuries and illnesses they are
prepared to cater for provided they have sufficient documentation from
the attending veterinarian regarding the animal's condition and suitability
for treatment. VetStem are also careful to warn potential clients that not
all animals respond to treatment and that they are working on ways of
determining in advance which animals respond best and why.
In Australia, a similar treatment protocol has been developed by
Regeneus Animal Health (
http://www.regeneus.com
). The Regeneus
Animal Health technique differs in that they are able to offer on-site
processing, conducted now in around 45 minutes. Regeneus Animal
Health's Adicell product has been mostly used for the treatment of
dogs and horses and some cats, including a snow leopard at the local
zoo. Unlike VetStem, whose focus is primarily on animals, Regeneus
Animal Health has plans for developing the same treatment for
humans, with a clinical trial currently underway in Sydney.
