Rion Vet Raises $15M Series A to Advance Platelet‑Derived Biologics for Animal Health
Rion Vet, a newly formed veterinary biotechnology company spun out of the clinical‑stage regenerative medicine firm RION, has completed a $15 million Series A financing to advance a first‑in‑class pipeline of platelet‑derived biologic therapeutics for animal health. The company’s launch and funding round were announced in November 2025 as Rion Vet positions itself to bring transformative biologic treatments to veterinary care, beginning with musculoskeletal disorders in horses and expanding into multiple companion animal markets.
The Series A round was anchored and led by Mark Herthel, a veterinary industry leader and co‑founder of Platinum Performance, who also serves as Chief Executive Officer of Rion Vet. Herthel’s investment and leadership in the funding underscore confidence from seasoned animal health executives in the company’s science and commercial potential. With this financing in hand, Rion Vet aims to rapidly develop and scale its biologic platform to address a range of high‑need therapeutic areas in veterinary care.
Rion Vet’s first therapeutic candidate, ePEP‑01, is a cell‑free platelet‑derived biologic formulated to support tissue repair and regeneration in animals suffering from musculoskeletal injuries. Developed from more than two decades of research at the Mayo Clinic and adapted for veterinary use, ePEP‑01 has already been evaluated in over four years of clinical research involving more than 50 horses, yielding consistent improvements in lameness and a strong safety profile. The product’s shelf‑stable nature and scalable biologic formulation are designed to ease clinical adoption and provide veterinarians with a reliable, next‑generation therapeutic beyond traditional pharmaceuticals and cell‑based therapies.
Beyond equine musculoskeletal indications, Rion Vet’s pipeline includes programs targeting canine musculoskeletal disease, atopic dermatitis, wound healing, ocular issues, respiratory conditions, and cardiac care, reflecting an ambitious strategy to enter multiple high‑value animal health markets. This expansion aligns with an estimated global animal health biologics opportunity that industry analysts believe could reach between $8 billion and $12 billion over the coming years as demand for regenerative and biologic therapies grows among veterinarians and pet owners alike.
The Series A funding will enable Rion Vet to invest in further development, manufacturing and regulatory efforts, including preparations for submissions to veterinary regulatory authorities such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (FDA CVM). By leveraging RION’s proprietary exosome and platelet technology platform, Rion Vet is well‑positioned to translate leading regenerative science into practical, scalable treatments for veterinary medicine.
Rion Vet’s launch and financing come at a time of heightened interest in regenerative therapeutics for animal health, as pet and equine owners seek advanced options for conditions that have historically lacked effective long‑term treatments. The company’s approach — focusing on biologics that harness natural repair processes without the complexities of living cell therapies — aims to deliver therapies that are both effective and accessible for routine veterinary practice.
In announcing the Series A completion, CEO Mark Herthel emphasized that Rion Vet combines breakthrough biologic science with proven veterinary innovation to redefine standards of care. Herthel’s track record in the animal health sector, including guiding Platinum Performance through growth and acquisition by Zoetis, brings seasoned strategic leadership to the company’s execution as it scales operations and advances its regulatory and clinical milestones.
Rion Vet’s corporate structure benefits from its exclusive global rights to RION’s Purified Exosome Product (PEP™) platform for veterinary applications, which serves as the scientific foundation for its biologic pipeline. This strategic tether to a well‑established human regenerative medicine platform allows Rion Vet to accelerate product development while maintaining a focus on veterinary‑specific needs and clinical outcomes.
As Rion Vet moves forward with its Series A‑funded growth initiatives, the company plans to present clinical data at upcoming veterinary scientific meetings and pursue regulatory pathways that could bring ePEP‑01 and future biologic products to veterinarians and animal owners around the world. With a strong funding base and leadership anchored by industry experience, Rion Vet is poised to expand the role of advanced biologics in animal health, offering hope for better, science‑driven therapeutics across species.
Overall, the successful Series A raise and inaugural product strategy highlight Rion Vet’s potential to become a leading player in the evolving landscape of veterinary biologics, where innovation intersects with growing market demand for regenerative solutions in animal care.
