San Diego's Gallant just secured $18 million to push forward something that sounds like science fiction: shelf-ready stem cell treatments for pets. This funding could make the startup the first company to bring FDA-approved stem cell therapy to veterinary clinics across America.
The seven-year-old company has its sights set on Feline Chronic Gingivostomatitis (FCGS), a brutally painful mouth condition that torments cats. Gallant believes this treatment could win FDA approval by early 2026, marking a major milestone in pet medicine.
Stem cell research has been churning along for decades in human medicine, yet it remains largely experimental territory. The veterinary world has seen some promising glimpses of what's possible. Dogs with arthritis showed real improvements in pain and mobility during studies, with benefits stretching up to two years. However, when researchers tested similar approaches on cats with kidney disease—another condition Gallant wants to tackle—the results proved less consistent.
Gallant's strategy breaks away from current methods in a fundamental way. Today's stem cell treatments typically require harvesting cells from either the patient or carefully matched donors. Gallant's therapy uses ready-made cells from donor animals, even when those donors belong to different species entirely. This approach eliminates the time-consuming cell harvesting process that currently limits treatment options.
The investment round drew backing from Digitalis Ventures, which had previously supported the company, along with NovaQuest Capital Management. NovaQuest brings relevant experience to the table, having invested in the first FDA-approved human stem cell therapy.
Gallant's origin story carries both triumph and tragedy. Aaron Hirschhorn founded the company after selling DogVacay to its main competitor, Rover, in the dog-sitting marketplace. Following Hirschhorn's death in 2021, Linda Black stepped into leadership as president and chief scientific officer. Black had joined Gallant almost from its inception and now guides the company's scientific direction.
The latest funding brings Gallant's total raised capital to at least $44 million.
Written by Alius Noreika