The Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Business Unit and Global Stem Cell Technology (GST) have entered into a partnership to enable European veterinarians and horse owners to benefit from a groundbreaking innovation involving a novel therapy based on stem cells to reduce lameness.

Following marketing authorization, Boehringer Ingelheim will exclusively distribute Arti-Cell Forte in the European Union. GST developed Arti-Cell Forte as the first-ever stem cell product in the veterinary arena. The product was recommended for marketing authorization by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) earlier this year, the companies said. 

Arti-Cell Forte is a product candidate of the so-called novel therapies. It is based on horse blood-derived stem cells, which are specially primed. The intended indication is the reduction of mild to moderate recurrent lameness associated with non-septic joint inflammation in horses, the companies said. For convenience, the product shall be offered in a ready-to-use presentation that's available to the veterinarian whenever it is needed.

Lameness is a common disease in horses that affects their performance and welfare. Current treatment is not satisfactory for all cases, and there is a clear need for innovation and new treatment options, hence the significant interest in treatment beyond symptoms, namely combatting the underlying root cause, the companies announced.

Following injection into the affected joint, the product is ready to act via its living cells, addressing biomolecular events of cartilage and reducing the inflammatory process of lameness. Based on a field study, the positive effect of treatment with the product was sustained even for more than a year, the companies reported.

“Priming the cells towards cartilage aids them to deliver the right activities in the affected joint,” said veterinarian Dr. Jan Spaas, GST chief executive officer. “We are absolutely delighted with this partnership as well as EMA's positive opinion. The potential for the treatment is vast, since a quarter of the entire equine population develops osteoarthritis at some point in their life.”

“Boehringer Ingelheim is dedicated to providing new and innovative products, whether through our own [research and development] activities or by working in partnership with true experts in the field,” said Dr. Erich Schoett, head of strategic business unit equine at Boehringer Ingelheim. “GST impressed us with a wealth of expertise in the area of regenerative medicine, and we do see an immense synergy in the close collaboration we are having. It is a real privilege to launch an industry first of this magnitude, and we are working together closely to bringing this product to market.”