Cartilage Healing Approach Merging Polymer InnOvation with Nature

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Cartilage injury afflicts over one million patients annually in Europe. Focal knee cartilage defects are as painful and limiting as osteoarthritis and can lead further degradation requiring total knee replacement surgery. Focal knee cartilage injuries are typically treated by bone marrow stimulation (Microfracture) which has limited benefit due to a high failure rate, poor longterm outcome and frequent required re-interventions. Alternative therapeutic products in the form of cellular/biologicals treatments have failed due to complexity and multiple surgery risks. With the promise of cell-based procedures not realized, the pursuit of an optimal treatment for symptomatic articular cartilage defects in the knee joint remains elusive. GelrinC is a simple, off-the-shelf treatment for focal injuries in the knee cartilage. It is a ready-to-use liquid cured in-situ by ultraviolet light to form a resorbable implant conforming to the shape and depth of the defect. Unlike other acellular implants, GelrinC was designed to support the formation of hyaline cartilage through a unique Mode-of-Action: Formation of a cell barrier thus preventing migration of undesired cells into the defect. At the same time, GelrinC harnesses the established prochondrogenic potential of polyethylene glycol, its major component, to provide the right microenvironment for the body’s own stem cells to differentiate into chondrocytes. Due to the presence of the denatured human fibrinogen in GelrinC, the implant resorbs from the outside inwards and thus is gradually replaced with new hyaline-like cartilage in a synchronized process. GelrinC gained a CE mark in 2017 and it is regulatory ready for commercialization in Europe. The next steps allowing quick, successful market entrance are optimizing the production process, completing a phase III clinical trials; and creating commercialization channels including centres of excellence in Europe.