Stem cell research involves two local entities for 2005

One fact often overlooked in the debates about stem cell research is that animal stem cell research has existed for years. During 2005 the San Luis Rey Equine Hospital is expected to participate in spinal injection studies, continuing equine stem cell research which also involves the San Luis Rey Downs Thoroughbred Training Center.

Only one commercial stem cell research company currently exists in the United States. Human stem cell research had not been approved until the passage of Proposition 71 in the November election, and the only existing commercial veterinary stem cell company is VET-Stem, which is headquartered in Poway and began equine research in September 2003.

The equine stem cell research will likely have future applications for human therapy. “The horse is the perfect model,” said Dr. Bob Harman, the founder and chief executive officer of VET-Stem. “All these companies that are working on orthopedic stuff will be using dogs, horses, pigs.”

VET-Stem worked on clinical research in conjunction with Cornell University as well as with various veterinarians. Harman discussed the work in late November during a discussion session at the American Association of Equine Practitioners convention in Denver.

“This is the real thing. We’re not in the research mode,” Harman noted.

Approximately one-third of the horses in the clinical project are stabled in Southern California. Work on some of those horses was performed by Dr. Barrie Grant of the San Luis Rey Equine Hospital and by Drs. Bill Talbot and Ron Magrini who perform work at the San Luis Rey Downs Thoroughbred Training Center.

“We’re impressed with the early results of the controlled study, and we’re certainly impressed with Dr. Harman and his company,” Grant said.

Grant is currently a partner in San Luis Rey Equine Hospital, but he was previously a professor at Washington State University’s veterinary school. He is renowned for his orthopedic and spinal cord work, which includes treating former Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew.

The horses in the clinical study have undergone rehabilitation, and many have returned to their performance duties. The horses in the study included racing, cutting and reining, dressage, hunter/jumper, and barrel racing horses. “Each one of them have their own kinds of injury,” Harman remarked.

The work included tendon and ligament injuries. “We’re getting ready to actually do some joint studies,” Harman noted.

The orthopedic work will include wobbler spinal cord damage. Although VET-Stem has not yet performed spinal injection work, they will be performing studies in 2005 in conjunction with Grant. “The horse is a pretty good for that,” Harman said.

The passage of Proposition 71 provides state funds for stem cell research, and VET-Stem will be seeking some of that funding. Harman expects that approximately 90 percent of stem cell work in early years will use animals before the technology can be applied to humans. Applications for Proposition 71 grants are expected to be available in January or February.

Veterinarians collect stem cells from animals and send them by overnight delivery to VET-Stem, which then processes the cells. “Our stem cells come from fat,” Harman noted. “We don’t have to culture these cells. We don’t have to grow them.”

The advantage of embryonic stem cell research is the better ability of embryonic stem cells to be preserved, but VET-Stem is not involved in embryonic stem cell research. “Ours come from the same horse,” Harman remarked.

“There’s no rejection issues. There’s no contamination issues,” Harman explained of using a horse’s own stem cells. “It’s really a nice, very safe way to start applying stem cell use.”