Equine Reproduction
Overview
The equine breeding industry currently lacks any effective method that can precisely control follicular development and ovulation. Extracts containing pituitary derived LH and FSH have been shown to be effective; however, the lack of a reliable commercial product has prevented wide use. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is also used but horses often develop an immune response to this foreign protein and repeated use can cause it to become ineffective. GnRH-derived products have been shown to be effective in inducing ovulation in the horse. However, the only such approved product for use in the horse, Ovuplant™, has been withdrawn due to non-compliance with specific FDA regulations and has been off the market for the past two years. The equine breeding season, and therefore products sold for use in equine breeding is seasonal, with the breeding season beginning in early spring through mid-summer.
Equine products we currently are developing are EquiPure LH™ (single-chain LH analog for horses) and EquiPure FSH™ (single-chain FSH analog for horses). These specialized products are designed to create more effective breeding programs for horses. The ability to influence the timing of when mares are ready to breed, improving the success rate of bred mares and increases in the number of eggs produced and harvested for transplant; are all valuable in equine reproduction.
