eQcell
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersGuelph, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What eQcell does
eQcell Inc. is a Canadian clinical-stage regenerative medicine company founded in 2010 and headquartered at the University of Guelph's Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) campus in Guelph, Ontario. The company develops allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapies for veterinary applications, specifically equine cord blood-derived MSCs (CB-MSCs) for horses and canine adipose-derived MSCs for dogs, targeting musculoskeletal conditions including osteoarthritis, synovitis, septic arthritis, tendinopathies, and tendon/ligament injuries for which current treatments are palliative or ineffective. eQcell's proprietary MSC activation methods and bioreactor-based cell expansion protocols are designed to enhance therapeutic capacity and produce clinically relevant cell quantities at scale.
The company's commercial vehicle is the eQcell Quality Cell Series™, which currently includes banked allogeneic cells designated for research use and autologous MSC isolation services offered to Canadian veterinarians. Its primary go-to-market motion is conducted through clinical trials with academic veterinary institutions including OVC, Colorado State University, and UC Davis Veterinary Medicine. The company operates an open INAD with the FDA for GMP manufacturing platform concurrence and within Health Canada's Veterinary Drug Directorate Experimental Studies Certificate (ESC) framework. Allogeneic cell use in client-owned animals currently requires an approved ESC; autologous services do not.
eQcell is pre-commercial. Revenue today is limited to MSC isolation services and research-only cell sales in Canada, with one-time license economics expected once veterinary approvals are achieved. The company has completed capital raises in December 2021 (undisclosed) and August 2022 (Ag Capital Canada, disclosed investment in source funding table) and is actively soliciting additional investors. Over $6,000,000 in cumulative grant funding has been secured from sources including Equine Guelph, NSERC, CIHR, Morris Animal Foundation, and Grayson Jockey Club Research Foundation. Pivotal trials designed to support marketing approvals are anticipated to initiate in 2026.
eQcell firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- eQcell
- Legal name
- eQcell Inc.
- Website
- https://eqcell.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
eQcell industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Veterinary Regenerative Medicine
- NAICS
- Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)
- SIC
- Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Veterinary Regenerative Medicine Manufacturing (GMP/CDMO, Cell Processing) (HLAMANAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Clinical Research, Trials & Translational Services (Veterinary Regenerative) (HLAMANAL)
Keywords
Where eQcell is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Guelph
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
eQcell business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Veterinary Stem Cell Products: Once clinical trials complete and regulatory approvals achieved, eQcell will commercialize allogeneic MSC products for veterinary use in horses and dogs
- MSC Isolation Services: eQcell currently offers MSC isolation services for Canadian veterinarians for autologous use of cells in horses and dogs, and individual autologous cell banking of equine cord blood MSCs
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Research cell products and services |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
eQcell product offering
Product offeringCore offering
eQcell develops and supplies allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) products — equine cord blood-derived CB-MSCs and canine adipose-derived MSCs — for veterinary use, alongside MSC isolation services and autologous cell banking for Canadian veterinarians. The company is currently clinical-stage, advancing these biologics through veterinary clinical trials (with pivotal trials anticipated in 2026) toward regulatory approval via FDA INAD and Health Canada's Veterinary Drug Directorate.
Product overview
eQcell is a clinical-stage regenerative medicine company offering the eQcell Quality Cell Series™ product line, which includes banked allogeneic cells and autologous cell services. The core products consist of equine allogeneic cord blood stem cells (CB-MSCs) for treating osteoarthritis in horses and canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells for treating elbow dysplasia and osteoarthritis in dogs. The company also provides MSC isolation services and autologous cell banking for Canadian veterinarians. The company is pursuing veterinary drug approvals through clinical trials designed to generate data for pivotal trials anticipated to initiate in 2026.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- eQcell Quality Cell Series™: Banked allogeneic cells and autologous cell services for domestic animal cells including equine and canine applications.
Products and services
- eQcell Quality Cell Series™ Branded product line comprising banked allogeneic cells and autologous cell services for domestic animal (equine and canine) applications, with custom cell procurement available on request.
- Equine Allogeneic Cord Blood Stem Cells (CB-MSCs) Allogeneic equine cord blood mesenchymal stromal cells designed to provide veterinarians with off-the-shelf therapeutics for treating osteoarthritis and joint conditions in horses, replacing laborious autologous extraction-expansion-re-injection workflows.
- Canine Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells developed as an allogeneic treatment option for immune and inflammatory disorders in dogs, particularly elbow dysplasia and osteoarthritis.
- MSC Isolation Services MSC isolation services provided to Canadian veterinarians for autologous use of cells in horses and dogs.
- Equine Cord Blood MSC Autologous Cell Banking Individual autologous cell banking service for equine cord blood mesenchymal stromal cells, provided to Canadian veterinarians.
Quantifiable outcome
- Horses treated with eQcell's stem cells are 3.4x more likely to return to previous work compared with hyaluronic acid
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use eQcell
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
eQcell technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
eQcell partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.
- Likarda LLCsupportingLicensing option agreement for proprietary hydrogels for MSC encapsulation, announced February 17, 2022.
- University of Guelph / Ontario Veterinary CollegecoreFounding academic partner. eQcell was founded based on 15 years of scientific investigation at OVC, ranked 6th in the world for veterinary science. OVC researchers (Dr. Judith Koenig, Dr. Melissa MacIver) serve as lead investigators for clinical trials.
- Colorado State UniversitycoreDr. C. Wayne McIlwraith (Founding Director of Orthopaedic Research Center) serves on Board of Directors. Dr. Laurie Goodrich and Dr. Lynn Pezzanite serve on Scientific Advisory Board. CSU's Translational Medicine Institute is key research partner.
- Moore Equine Veterinary ServicessupportingCollaborating equine veterinary clinic participating in clinical trials and research activities.
- Rood and Riddle Equine HospitalsupportingCollaborating equine veterinary hospital in Kentucky participating in research partnership for septic arthritis treatment studies.
- Equine PIsupportingTechnology partner providing equine performance and health analytics integration.
- Dechra CanadasupportingSponsor for synovitis clinical trial comparing MSC treatment to hyaluronic acid.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights6 records
eQcell competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Regeneus: Regeneus is an Australian clinical-stage regenerative medicine company developing allogeneic stem cell therapies, including Progenza for osteoarthritis. It is comparable to eQcell in technology platform (allogeneic MSCs), indication focus (osteoarthritis), and clinical-stage status.
- MediVet Biologics: MediVet Biologics develops and commercializes regenerative medicine therapies for horses and companion animals, including platelet-rich plasma and stem cell products. It overlaps directly with eQcell's target indications (equine and canine joint disease) and competes for the same veterinary clinic customers.
- VetStem Biopharma: VetStem Biopharma is a U.S.-based veterinary regenerative medicine company offering autologous stem cell services for horses, dogs and cats. It is the most direct competitor to eQcell in equine and companion-animal stem cell therapy, although it relies on autologous rather than allogeneic cells.
Broad incumbents
- Vetoquinol: Vetoquinol is a global animal health pharmaceutical company with strong equine and companion-animal presence. It is comparable as a broad incumbent that markets joint and orthopedic therapeutics directly competitive with eQcell's intended indications.
- Dechra Pharmaceuticals: Dechra is a global specialty animal health pharmaceuticals company that is already an eQcell clinical trial sponsor (synovitis study comparing MSC therapy to hyaluronic acid). It is a broad incumbent with deep equine veterinary relationships and represents both a near-term partner and a potential strategic acquirer of eQcell's regenerative medicine platform.
- Elanco Animal Health: Elanco is a major global animal health company with a broad companion-animal and livestock portfolio. It represents a broad incumbent that has been expanding into specialty and regenerative categories and could either compete with or acquire a clinical-stage MSC asset like eQcell.
- Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health: Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health is one of the largest global animal health players, with significant equine and companion-animal pharmaceutical portfolios. It is comparable as a broad incumbent that could in-license or develop competing regenerative therapies and has the distribution muscle to dominate the equine OA market.
- Virbac: Virbac is a global animal health company with equine and companion-animal pharmaceutical offerings, including orthopedic and pain management products that compete with the indications eQcell is targeting. As a broad incumbent it is both a potential competitor and a strategic partner candidate.
- Zoetis: Zoetis is the world's largest animal health company with a broad portfolio of pharmaceuticals, vaccines, diagnostics and increasingly regenerative medicine. It competes indirectly through its scale, sales force, and capital capacity and is a potential strategic partner or acquirer for eQcell's MSC platform.
Emerging players
- EquiCord: EquiCord provides equine umbilical cord blood banking services. It is comparable to eQcell because it sits on the same equine cord blood sourcing infrastructure that underpins eQcell's allogeneic CB-MSC product, and it represents both a potential supplier and a competing entry point for equine regenerative medicine.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights8 records
Customer concentration
eQcell social profiles
Digital presenceeQcell financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
eQcell leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
eQcell funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
eQcell M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about eQcell
What does eQcell do?
eQcell develops and supplies allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) products — equine cord blood-derived CB-MSCs and canine adipose-derived MSCs — for veterinary use, alongside MSC isolation services and autologous cell banking for Canadian veterinarians. The company is currently clinical-stage, advancing these biologics through veterinary clinical trials (with pivotal trials anticipated in 2026) toward regulatory approval via FDA INAD and Health Canada's Veterinary Drug Directorate.
Is eQcell a public or private company?
eQcell is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was eQcell founded?
eQcell was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is eQcell based?
eQcell is headquartered in Guelph, Canada, in the North America region.
How does eQcell make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Veterinary Stem Cell Products are the primary driver. The others are MSC Isolation Services.
Who are eQcell's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Regeneus, MediVet Biologics and VetStem Biopharma. Broad incumbents are Vetoquinol, Dechra Pharmaceuticals, Elanco Animal Health, Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, Virbac and Zoetis. EquiCord is listed as an emerging player.
Does eQcell have an API?
No public API is recorded for eQcell.
What industry is eQcell in?
eQcell's product category is Veterinary Regenerative Medicine. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAMANAI, Veterinary Regenerative Medicine Manufacturing (GMP/CDMO, Cell Processing), with a secondary code of HLAMANAL, Clinical Research, Trials & Translational Services (Veterinary Regenerative). Its NAICS code is 325414 and its SIC code is 2836.