2024年1月15日

アニコム損害保険株式会社

With the No.1 share in pet insurance^*1 Anicom Insurance, Inc. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Shingo Noda, hereinafter referred to as the Company) has partnered with one of their group companies, Anicom Specialty Medical Institute, Inc. (Representative Director and President: Kosuke Kawamoto, hereinafter referred to as Anicom Specialty Medical Institute), and beginning in 2022, have been conducting research, (hereinafter referred to as main research) on health maintenance through stem cell administration. Our findings reveal that dogs treated with stem cells can have improved quality of life (QOL) and reduced medical costs.

*1: Share is calculated from the number of contracts for each company in 2022 . “2023 Pet-related Market Marketing Overview” survey published by Fuji Keizai Co., Ltd.

■Research Summary

Since April 2021, Anicom Specialty Medical Institute has been providing advanced medical technology and services centered on regenerative medicine with the aim of “curing incurable diseases.”^*2 Regenerative medicine has shown effectiveness in both treating and rejuvenating people.^*3 It is therefore reasonable to expect regenerative medicine to improve the QOL and prevent disease in pets. With this in mind, we made the decision to conduct this main research.

We administered allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells derived from subcutaneous fat to dogs over 9 years old. This was done with the cooperation of our pet insurance policyholders and with patients at a veterinary hospital operated by Anicom Specialty Medical Institute. QOL and medical costs were compared before and after administration.

*2: News release dated February 10, 2021 “Business related to animal regenerative medicine and cell therapy will be taken over by Anicom Specialty Medical Institute.”
https://www.anicom-med.co.jp/news/20210210.html
※３：Adipose-Derived Stem Cells for Facial Rejuvenation. Surowiecka A, et al. J Pers Med. 2022.

①QOL improvement effect

36 dogs over 9 years of age, and 11 items related to eating, walking, etc. were compared before and one month after administration. 83% (30 dogs) of the treated dogs showed improvement in some items. The improvement rate was higher in items related to diet and activity.■An example of a dog that underwent stem cell administration (15-year-old Shiba Inu)

②Medical cost control effect

Next, we compared the medical costs at veterinary hospitals for the six months before and the six months following stem cell treatment for 12 animals over the age of 11. We found that medical costs decreased for 10 animals. Although medical costs usually increase with age, medical costs here decreased. This suggests that stem cell administration has a rejuvenating effect.

Where there was previously no treatment for the various ailments that accompany aging, these results indicate that it may be possible to extend the length of time that pets live in good health by administering stem cells.

As our company aims to provide “preventive insurance,” we will utilize the results of this main research as a loss prevention measure that insurance companies are obligated to fulfill. As a leading company in the pet industry, our group will continue to advance efforts to improve animal welfare^*4.

*4: reference to the five freedoms in animal welfare, especially developing and improving the third freedom: “freedom from pain, injury, and disease”