Florida manufacturer develops rapid animal diabetes testingMarch 20, 2018Tallahassee, Fla.-based Baycom Diagnostics has developed A1Care, a cost-effective kit for monitoring and testing for both feline and canine diabetes. Much like with humans, cases of diabetes in dogs and cats have increased steadily over recent years. According to research released by Vancouver, Wash.-based Banfield Pet Hospital, instances of dog diabetes have increased from 13.1 cases per 10,000 in 2006 to 23.6 cases per 10,000 in 2015—a 79.7 percent jump in less than 10 years. While previous tests for detecting the disease in dogs and cats have been largely expensive and time consuming, A1Care is neither, the company stated. The test allows veterinarians to mail a patient's dried blood sample to Baycom's labs; the sample is analyzed and results are returned to the clinic within two weeks—all with a fee of $49 per test. "For the vets, it is super easy to use," said Gus Ray, Baycom's CEO. "Blood, information, mail, and you're done. All of the magic happens once we get the sample." Ray developed A1Care after he was hired to conduct at-home glycated hemoglobin (A1C) testing for diabetic persons. Initially, he thought the same test could be effective when testing for the disease in …
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Likarda receives $4M to expand companion animal diabetes researchSeptember 4, 2017Likarda, a regenerative medicine company for companion animals, has received $4 million in Series A funding from Werth Family Investment Associates to back the company's proprietary Kanslet insulin-producing cell clusters, which can be infused into animals with diabetes, allowing veterinarians to offer a minimally invasive and cost-effective answer to pet owners, according to the company. Microencapsulated islets (the insulin-producing cells of the body) are transplanted via injection into the belly of a diabetic dog, removing the need for twice-daily insulin injections, the company stated. The additional funding allows Likarda to scale the project to thousands of animals, and the clinical research program is expected to launch by the end of 2017. "Partnership with Werth Family Investment Associates brings both funds to advance our product line and extensive experience in successful pharmaceutical licensing of new products for both human and animal health," said Lisa Stehno-Bittel, Ph.D., Likarda president and co-founder. "[It's] exciting and transformational for both animal health in the region and the global prospect of cell-based therapies for diabetic pets."
Zoetis app helps monitor pet diabetesOctober 4, 2016Diabetic pets don’t carry smartphones, but they now have an app, PetDialog, made just for them. PetDialog and the revised AlphaTrak website make things easier for pet owners who need to manage their pet’s diabetes, according to the app’s developer, Zoetis Inc. of Florham Park, N.J.
