Dr. Kenneth Pettine, Founder of Direct Regeneration, Moves Beyond Living Cells With a New Line of Exosome-Based Therapies

Dr. Kenneth Pettine

FORT COLLINS, CO – October 23, 2026 – Retired orthopedic spine surgeon Dr. Kenneth Pettine, founder and CEO of Direct Regeneration, today shared the next phase of his work in regenerative medicine: a growing set of patented and patent-pending products built on cell-derived materials instead of live cells. The portfolio targets joint degeneration, chronic pain, and skin aging.

From spine implants to stem cells

Dr. Pettine spent more than three decades in orthopedic surgery and has served as principal investigator on 18 FDA-regulated studies. Fifteen of those were investigational device exemption trials on non-fusion spine surgery. In 2010, he turned to a different question and led the first FDA study to test a regenerative approach as an alternative to spinal surgery. The findings appeared in the Journal of Neurosurgery and surpassed expectations, and he went on to open his own bone marrow-derived stem cell clinic.

His thinking has since shifted. Dr. Kenneth Pettine says living cells are hard to standardize and hard to distribute, and that products made from the materials cells release could be easier to test, manufacture, and make available worldwide.

A growing patent portfolio

Dr. Pettine reports holding the only two issued U.S. patents covering stem cell injections into joints and the spine, plus more than twenty applications still pending. Those filings include:

• Orthopedic and spine treatments using MSC exosomes, synovial MSCs, and scaffolds
• Pain therapies intended as alternatives to opioids
• Skincare formulations using MSC-derived growth factors aimed at slowing visible aging
• Compositions aimed at conditions such as erectile dysfunction, hair graying, and hair loss

Early exosome data

Exosomes are tiny particles that carry signals between cells, and they sit at the center of the new work. Dr. Kenneth Pettine recently ran a safety trial in which 33 retired Navy SEALs with osteoarthritis of the knee, shoulder, elbow, ankle, or wrist received injections of an Extracellular Vesicle Isolate Product (EVIP). At the three-month check-in, participants reported improvements ranging from 40% to 98%, averaging above 70%. He describes the results as encouraging enough to justify further study.

Three more clinical studies are planned, evaluating his stem cell-based products for erectile dysfunction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and chronic low back pain from degenerated discs.

Cannabinoid research

Dr. Kenneth Pettine also has seven pending patents involving cannabidiol (CBD). They cover intra-articular cannabinoid injections for osteoarthritis and compositions for treating erectile and clitoral dysfunction. As a scientific research consultant, he has also reviewed over-the-counter CBD topicals for pain and skin relief, including CBDfx Hemp Cream, Amber Gardens Lip Fix, Sabaidee, Peak Extracts Rescue Rub, and Vertly Hemp CBD-Infused Relief Lotion. His advice to shoppers is to compare ingredients, potency, price, and reviews before buying.

Inventor, author, and mentor

Dr. Pettine co-invented the Prestige™ cervical artificial disc and the Maverick Artificial Disc™. He has authored more than 60 research publications and has been named among the top 50 spine surgeons and specialists to know in America. He also funds a scholarship program for students pursuing higher education.

About Dr. Kenneth Pettine

Dr. Kenneth Pettine is a retired, board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon and CEO of Direct Regeneration. With more than 30 years of experience, he holds multiple patents in stem cell and exosome technology and speaks and publishes widely on regenerative medicine.

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Company Name: Dr. Kenneth Pettine, Founder of Direct Regeneration
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City: FORT COLLINS
State: Colorado
Country: United States
Website: https://drkennethpettine.com/