Ohio vet college to receive $6 million to support clinical trials office

By Veterinary Practice News Editors

The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine will be receiving a $6 million gift from Blue Buffalo Company, a pet food company based in Wilton, Conn., to help advance clinical trials at the college. Specifically, the company’s gift will support the growth of the Clinical Trials Office (CTO), a program that facilitates studies to improve patient care and advance medical knowledge for both animals and humans.

“This transformational gift from Blue Buffalo will significantly enhance our ability to support clinical trials for a variety of diseases from cancer to heart failure,” said Cheryl London, DVM, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVIM, director of the Clinical Trials Office and professor of veterinary biosciences. “Clinical trials enhance the health and well-being of pets while also identifying more effective treatments for similar diseases that occur in people.”

Veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians in the CTO work closely with faculty, staff, residents and interns at the Veterinary Medical Center as well as participating veterinary clinics to oversee clinical trials and ensure the highest standard of patient care. The CTO is one of the largest in the country, running between 30 and 40 studies at any given time.

Blue Buffalo has supported pet oncology studies since the company was founded in 2002. The company and its partner Blue Buffalo Foundation have raised more than $12 million for pet cancer research and financial support to help pet parents with cancer treatment costs.

“This gift is an important part of Blue Buffalo’s efforts to advance veterinary medicine across a wide range of research needs,” said Bill Bishop, company founder and chairman. “We look forward to supporting the veterinary profession for years to come as passionate clients continue to trust veterinarians who care for their family pets.”