You may have heard of human iPS cells. iPS cells are pluripotent stem cells that are artificially established by genetical manipulation. In August 2006, Professor Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University established iPS cells for the first time in the world. [Induced pluripotent stem cells] are called iPS cells because they have the ability to differentiate into cells of various tissues and organs and the ability to proliferate almost infinitely. This revolutionary achievement earned him the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2012, and now many regenerative medicine technologies utilizing iPS cells are being developed both in Japan and overseas. As for why iPS cells are revolutionary in the first place, all human cells are actually derived from a single fertilized egg, so all cells have the same genome (genetic information). However, each cell in skin, eyes, hair, blood, etc. is programmed so that only necessary genes are switched on. Although new cells are produced and replace old cells every day, the basic program does not change; so even if the skin cells are renewed, they are still skin cells and will not become cells of different parts of the body. And iPS cells have made it possible to “reprogram” this program safely and relatively easily from an ethical point of view.

Now, let's talk about animal regenerative medicine. Compare to mice, rats, and humans, it is known to be more difficult to generate iPS cells in animals such as dogs (also known as pluripotency-induced resistance). Reprogramming factors are used to induce iPS cells, and even a small amount of these factors can cause abnormalities in tumorigenesis and cell differentiation. It is extremely difficult to establish iPS cells in which the reprogramming factor had completely eliminated. Under the difficult circumstances, Professor Kazuya Edamura of Veterinary Surgery, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Associate Professor Seiji Shiozawa of Kurume University School of Medicine, and Professor Hideyuki Okano of Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine has joined force and finally solved the problem in 2021, and utilized our unique technology to establish iPS cells suitable for clinical application. Analysis of the iPS cells established by our technology revealed that the reprogramming factors have completely eliminated, making it an important technology that forms the basis for utilizing iPSC to treat various animal diseases. Utilizing this technology, Vetanic is working with Professor Kazuya Edamura, Associate Professor Seiji Shiozawa, and other reliable colleagues to research and develop various regenerative medicine products, including iPS cell-derived canine mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). we are aiming to apply to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for manufacturing and marketing approval as a regenerative medicine product for practical use to cure animal diseases based on the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law.