INGELHEIM, GERMANY-- April 21, 2022 -- It takes years of diligent training as well as a trusting relationship between horse and rider to reach their full potential as a team. That’s why a tendon or ligament injury can be devastating for horse owners, riders and trainers. For equine athletes, the diagnosis may mean many months of treatment and rehabilitation with an unknown outcome, and potential for long term impact on their ability to perform.

Boehringer Ingelheim has now received approval in Europe for RenuTend™, the first product licensed to improve healing of tendon and suspensory ligament injuries in horses. RenuTend™ is administered by intralesional injection and complements Boehringer Ingelheim’s other equine stem cell product Arti-Cell® FORTE, which is authorised to treat mild to moderate recurrent lameness associated with non-septic joint inflammation in horses.

“We are delighted to add RenuTend™ to our portfolio of stem cell products for horses, offering veterinarians a new therapeutic option for treating tendon and suspensory ligament injuries. This product demonstrates the company's commitment to bringing innovation to improve the lives of horses and the people who love them,” comments Liz Barrett, Head of Global Strategic Marketing, Equine at Boehringer Ingelheim. “RenuTend™ will allow more riders, owners and trainers to reimagine the dreams a tendon injury jeopardizes, by optimizing the possibilities for their horse to return to work with reduced potential for reinjury.”

Tendon and ligament lesions don’t always heal properly, as scar tissue can be less elastic than healthy tissue, and reinjury rates can be up to 80 percent. This can mean the end of a career for many horses. RenuTend™ is a targeted stem cell treatment with proven efficacy and repeatable results. It improves the quality of tendon healing by promoting parallel alignment of the right type of fibres and decreases the amount of scar tissue formed.

RenuTend™ will be available across the European Union. The approval for Great Britain is still pending.