Advancing Welfare by Removing Reliance on Horses for Hormone Production

SUMMARY: Researchers will develop a way to synthetically produce Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin (eCG), also known as Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotropin (PMSG).

THE PROBLEM:Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin (eCG), also known as Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotropin (PMSG), is a protein hormone found in the blood of pregnant mares. This hormone helps improve the  reproductive success of animals. It is widely used to synchronize reproductive cycles in race horses, livestock and captive wildlife species. Since it is found in the mare's blood, a lot of blood must be collected to produce it commercially. The welfare of mares used for eCG production varies a lot. This raises serious animal welfare concerns because it often leads to routine abortions and poor care for the animals. To date, efforts to produce eCG using bacteria, yeast, or mammalian cells have failed. These systems cannot replicate the necessary sugars on the protein, resulting in a lack of biological activity. Finding a way to produce eCG in a laboratory is imperative.

THE PROJECT: The project aims tocreate a new lab method to make synthetic eCG using cultured horse placental stem cells, leveraging techniques orginally developed for cattle. This in vitro bioprocessing system could eliminate the current method for obtaining this hormone.

POTENTIAL IMPACT: Finding a way to produce synthetic eCG holds the possibility of helping thousands of horses. This method could eliminate the need for live horses in eCG production and address ethical and welfare concerns. 

Projected End Date: 2/28/27