A clinical trial under way at Colorado State University is using stem cells to treat cats with late-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD). “There’s a lot of hype around stem cells right now,” says lead researcher Stephen Dow, DVM, Ph.D. “Unfortunately, a lot of the claims are unsubstantiated. We hope to show whether the cells make a difference in cats with CKD.”
The researchers want to determine if the injection of stem cells in 20 cats will improve kidney function, reduce side effects such as inflammation and fibrosis, and delay the disease’s progression.
Researcher Jessica Quimby, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM, says the study is about one-third completed, too early for results. “I can say, though, that the cats have all been tolerating the stem cell treatments very well.”
For more information, please visit the Feline Health Center at www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/.
