Brazilian pharmaceutical company launches stem cell treatment for dogs
Ourofino Saúde Animal seeks to expand investments in the pet industry to leverage revenue.
The treatment, called NeoStem, is aimed at helping dogs suffering from diseases such as osteoarthritis (which affects bones and joints), distemper sequelae (which causes neurological problems) and conjunctivitis sicca (which affects the production of tears in animals).
The cells are extracted from young animals up to two years old as the quality of these cells drops over the years.
“The animal undergoes a battery of tests to prove that it is healthy, and when it undergoes an elective surgical procedure, the material that is already removed during castration, such as the removal of uterus and ovaries, is sent to the laboratory, where it involves the extraction of stem cells from visceral adipose tissue,” explained Ourofino’s veterinary doctor Tabatha Kalenski.
Once extracted, the cells are multiplied in the laboratory and stored at a temperature of minus 80 degrees.
Latin American expansion
The use of stem cells in pets was regulated by the Federal Council of Veterinary Medicine of Brazil in 2021. In the coming years, the Brazilian company’s goal is to disseminate this treatment on a large scale throughout Latin America.
For Ourofino’s CEO Kleber Gomes, the transformations in the sector increase the possibilities of the Brazilian company in the pet market since “small animals follow in the footsteps of humans.”
In addition to acting preventatively, another trend that is noticeable in the segment is the specialization of professionals such as in dermatology, orthopedics, endocrinology and nutrition. “The service is more assertive and directed towards the pet and has contributed a lot to these goals,” Gomes stated to GlobalPETS.
The launch of this new treatment comes after the São Paulo-based company invested 20 million reais ($-€ 3.6 million) in 2021 in the acquisition of biotechnology startup Regenera.
Ourofino had a net revenue of 905 million reais (€-$163 million) last year and the pet portfolio accounts for 13% of the company’s business.
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