Gallant Raises $11M

Gallant, an animal biotech company on a mission to help pets live healthier and happier lives, today launched the first and only nationwide stem cell banking solution for dogs. The company is also announcing its acquisition of the veterinary division of Cook-Regentec, including their intellectual property, existing stem cell banking operations and their pipeline of cell therapy products derived from reproductive tissue.

With its patent-pending process, Gallant obtains a dog's stem cells from tissues collected during a routine spay or neuter procedure. The young stem cells, which would otherwise be thrown away, are then cryopreserved to create life-changing treatments for future ailments. It is the first and only non-invasive animal stem cell collection method available today.

Because stem cells are collected during the spay and neuter procedure, they are cryopreserved when they are young and healthy, in contrast to typical procedures which involve invasive surgeries to take stem cells from older animals that are already sick. Therapies will be sent to the veterinarian on demand, at a cost of approximately $300 plus procedure fee, 80%-to-90% less than comparable treatments.

Gallant's scientists and researchers have decades of collective experience, and veterinarians from the acquired division of Cook-Regentec have treated hundreds of cats and dogs with their own banked stem cells. Stem cell therapies have been demonstrated in clinical studies to help dogs with a myriad of ailments including osteoarthritis, atopic dermatitis, torn ligaments and chronic dry eye, amongst others. Traditional medicine can cause painful side effects and often merely mitigates symptoms, such as using daily anti-inflammatories for arthritis. Stem cell therapy is natural and addresses the root cause of disease.

Any new puppy parent in the U.S. can order a kit to be shipped to their vet and a storage plan at Gallant.com. The procedure fee costs $395, and storage plan options include a lifetime fee of $595 or annual fee of $95. For a limited time only to celebrate its nationwide launch and to bring regenerative medicine to as many pet parents as possible, Gallant will be waiving the procedure fee and saving new pet owners $395.

Because collection happens during the routine spay and neuter process, any vet can store stem cells in the Gallant kit today. Gallant also works closely with vets to bring regenerative medicine to their practices and has lifelong partnerships with pet owners, supporting them during the most challenging moments in a pet's life.

Gallant was founded by DogVacay founder & CEO Aaron Hirschhorn, who grew the company to more than $100 million in sales and merged with Rover to create the industry leading pet sitting platform. Gallant's scientific team has more than 100 years of collective experience leading the field of regenerative medicine. Richard Jennings, the CEO of cord blood banking company California Cryobank, and Darryl Rawlings, the founder and chief executive officer of Trupanion, sit on Gallant's board. Its advisors include Art Antin, the co-founder of VCA, and Dr. David Haworth, the former president of PetSmart Charities in the US and Canada.

"I struggled with debilitating chronic back pain for more than a decade, leaving me incapable of doing activities I loved, until regenerative medicine successfully cured my condition," said Aaron Hirschhorn, founder and CEO of Gallant. "At the same time, I watched my dog Rocky suffer from arthritis so painful that she couldn't walk. I knew there had to be a better way to treat and heal our pets, which sparked the beginning of Gallant. We are on a mission to keep our pets happier and healthier through the power of regenerative medicine."

Gallant's research team is developing first-of-its kind biotechnologies and treatment methods. It has committed on spending millions on R&D pursuing both autologous therapies, which use a dog's own stem cells, and allogeneic therapies, which any dog can use, at a fraction of the cost of currently available therapies.

"In my experience with clinical trials and evaluating dogs with debilitating arthritis, I've seen first hand how cell therapy can change lives," said Dr. Linda Black, Chief Scientific Officer at Gallant. "I'm committed to developing therapies that dramatically improve the quality of life for dogs."

More than 1 million pets are spayed or neutered each month, and the American Pet Products Association estimates that pet owners will spend $18.9 billion on vet care in 2019. Regenerative medicine is often more cost effective than traditional treatments such as surgeries, which can cost thousands of dollars.

Gallant has raised a total of $11M in funding from investors including Maveron, Bold Capital Partners, Bling Capital, Science Inc. and more. The company is investing heavily into research and development, clinical studies to advance treatments and education campaigns on the power of stem cell therapy.

For more information, please go to gallant.com.

ABOUT GALLANT

Gallant is an animal biotechnology company that banks stem cells and develops regenerative medicine, using a pet's natural biology to treat future diseases. While traditional medicine can require daily medication and surgeries that result in difficult side effects, Gallant addresses the root of the symptoms through stem cell therapy. Gallant is the only company that collects cells through a noninvasive method during a dog's routine spay or neuter procedure. They then cryopreserve their stem cells, which would otherwise be thrown away, and are investing millions in developing a pipeline of therapies. At a $595 lifetime fee, Gallant makes it accessible for pet owners to keep their furry friends happy and healthy. Founded by pet tech veteran Aaron Hirschhorn with a team of pioneering researchers in stem cell therapies for pets, Gallant uses the promise of stem cell therapy to keep your dogs enjoying their long runs for the long run.