Knowhere wins after stem cell treatment

Knowhere wins after stem cell treatment The on-form chaser Knowhere gave his connections good cause for celebration at Cheltenham last week. The powerful bay kept Our Vic in check to take Cheltenham's Gold Cup Trial, having remarkably returned to a successful racing career following pioneering stem cell treatment for a serious tendon injury.  Ridden by Paddy Brennan in his latest race and trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, Knowhere had a good start to his racing career as a four-year-old, winning his first two races as a novice hurdler.

‘Knowhere and Paddy Brennan winning the Letheby & Christopher Chase'

Subsequent to his second race in late 2004 he suffered injuries to both forelimb superficial digital flexor tendons. The left fore showed low grade tendonitis while the right fore had a significant percentage of fibre rupture. As a promising racing prospect, Knowhere's connections wanted to give him the best possible chance of recovering from his injury so they opted for stem cell therapy. He was treated by Tim Beauregard MRCVS of Summerhill Farm in Gloucestershire.

Bone marrow samples were collected from Knowhere's sternum and were processed in a laboratory over a five week period to generate millions of stem cells. Knowhere was sedated and the tendon area was anaesthetised and then the leg was surgically clipped and disinfected The stem cells which had been suspended in serum obtained from the original bone marrow sample, were then injected using ultrasound guidance, into the core of the damaged area of the tendon fibres.

For the first week after the implantation Knowhere was kept in his stable to allow the cells to adapt to their new environment. Each day after this he was given walking exercise in order to stimulate the activity of the stem cells, encouraging them to differentiate into tendon cells and form into strong tendon fibres. The amount of exercise was incrementally increased, building up over a three-month period from five minutes each day to 45 minutes twice a day.

By the autumn of 2005 both of Knowhere's tendons had healed very well and showed good fibre pattern on ultrasonography.  He was re-introduced to the racetrack the following year and of the 15 or so races he has been in since then he has finished in the frame on eight occasions and has amassed some £175,000 in winnings. 

Vet Tim Beauregard concludes: "Knowhere's successful return to the track has been exciting and immensely satisfying to follow and he showed particularly brilliant form in the Cotswold Chase. It remains to be seen whether he will be heading for the Ryanair Chase, the Gold Cup or the Grand National but all involved will be hoping for the best."

About VetCell's stem cell technology

VetCell's superior stem cell technology is supported by evidence-based medicine. Their method, which enables very high numbers of stem cells to be implanted with growth factors and an autologous scaffold directly into the injured area, is critically different from imitators and VetCell prides itself on its ongoing research and its work with regulators to consistently increase control and patient safety. Three years of clinical follow-up on VetCell's technology suggests that it doubles an injured horse's chances of successful recovery and return to full performance. During the past four years VetCell has set up a commercial service for equine vets in 19 countries spanning five continents and has provided treatment for hundreds of horses. The company now operates in Australia, New Zealand, North and South America, Japan, South Africa, the Middle East and throughout Europe.

Vet Cell actively supports vets in practice by providing on-site assistance wherever it is required, as well as providing regular training courses for the veterinary sector. In addition the company recognises the importance of communicating the technology to horse owners. Last year it ran a well-attended series of lectures aimed at providing owners with a greater knowledge of equine tendon disease and methods for prevention and treatment.

For more information please contact info@vetcell.com or visit the website at: http://www.vetcell.com/

Photograph © Trevor Meeks/Horse & Hound/IPC+ Syndication

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