Cartilage Cell + Stem Cell Therapy for Cartilage Defects

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Phase 1

Sponsor: Daniel B. F. Saris

Must not be taking: Anticoagulants, Herbal therapies

Disqualifiers: Pregnancy, Hip deformity, Infections, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Approved in 2 Jurisdictions This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

Duration: 1 day

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a new treatment for individuals with hip cartilage damage. Researchers aim to determine the safety and potential side effects of combining a person's own cartilage cells with stem cells from fat tissue. The treatment, called Autologous Chondrocytes in their Pericellular Matrix (Chondrons) coimplanted with Allogeneic Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (AMSCs) in a Fibrin Glue Carrier, uses a special glue to repair damaged cartilage. Ideal candidates for this trial have experienced hip cartilage damage for over three months, have found little success with treatments like physical therapy or medication, and can walk unaided. As a Phase 1 trial, the research focuses on understanding how the treatment works in people, offering participants the chance to be among the first to receive this innovative therapy.

Do I need to stop my current medications for the trial?

The trial requires you to stop taking herbal therapies or supplements 4 weeks before joining and until the study ends. You also need to be on a stable dose of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications for at least 4 weeks before the trial and continue this stable dose throughout the study. If you are taking anticoagulant medications, you cannot participate in the trial.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this treatment is likely to be safe for humans?

Research has shown that using a patient's own cartilage cells with special stem cells from donated fat tissue is generally safe. Studies have found that such treatments can significantly improve joint function and reduce pain, indicating their safety. Reports from various studies have not identified major safety issues, suggesting these treatments are considered safe. However, as this treatment remains in the early testing stages, the primary focus is on gathering safety information. While early results are promising, researchers continue to study the treatment closely to fully understand any potential side effects. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why do researchers think this study treatment might be promising?

Researchers are excited about this treatment for cartilage defects because it combines autologous chondrocytes with allogeneic adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (AMSCs) in a novel way. Unlike traditional treatments, which often involve surgical repair or joint replacement, this approach uses the body's own cartilage cells alongside donor stem cells to potentially regenerate damaged tissue. The use of a fibrin glue carrier also provides a supportive environment for these cells to thrive and integrate into the affected cartilage. This unique combination could lead to more effective and longer-lasting repair of cartilage defects, offering hope for improved joint function and reduced pain.

What evidence suggests that this treatment might be an effective treatment for cartilage defects?

Research has shown that a mix of a patient's own cartilage cells and stem cells from donated fat tissue, held together with a special glue, may help repair damaged cartilage. In this trial, participants will receive this combination of autologous cartilage cells and allogeneic AMSCs in a fibrin glue carrier. Studies suggest this combination can effectively repair sudden cartilage injuries, with the stem cells initiating the healing process. A similar method, using only a patient's own cartilage cells, is already a common treatment for small to medium cartilage damage. This new combined approach might offer more benefits, especially since it can be completed in one step. ^{3 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Aaron Krych, MD

Principal Investigator

Mayo Clinic

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults with specific hip cartilage defects, who can walk unassisted and have tried other treatments without success. They must not be pregnant or planning pregnancy, have a BMI under 35, no recent infections in the target hip, stable health without significant diseases like heart conditions or diabetes, and no history of certain blood disorders or cancer.

Inclusion Criteria

Can provide written informed consent and complete HIPAA documentation after the nature of the study is fully explained and prior to any study-related procedure

Persons of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test prior to receiving the study drug and will agree to use adequate contraception

Fully understanding of the requirements of the study and willingness to comply with the treatment plan

Exclusion Criteria

Significant structural deformity, including large cam lesion or moderate dysplasia

I have a serious heart, brain, kidney, liver, bone, or hormone-related disease.

Tönnis Grade II or greater on X-Ray

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive the combined product of autologous cartilage cells and allogeneic AMSCs in a fibrin glue carrier

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

24 months

Multiple visits at 1-2 weeks, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 24 weeks, 52 weeks, 18 months, and 24 months post-treatment

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Autologous Chondrocytes in their Pericellular Matrix (Chondrons) Coimplanted with Allogeneic Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (AMSCs) in a Fibrin Glue Carrier

Trial Overview The study tests a new treatment where patients' own cartilage cells are mixed with donor fat-derived stem cells and a special glue to repair damaged hip cartilage. The goal is to see if this mix is safe and what side effects it might cause when used to treat cartilage defects in the hip.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: CartiLage Auto/Allo IMplantation for Focal Hip Cartilage Defects Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Subject will receive the combined product of autologous cartilage cells and allogeneic AMSCs in a fibrin glue carrier.

Autologous Chondrocytes in their Pericellular Matrix (Chondrons) Coimplanted with Allogeneic Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (AMSCs) in a Fibrin Glue Carrier is already approved in United States, European Union for the following indications:

Approved in United States as MACI for:

• Symptomatic, single or multiple full-thickness cartilage defects of the knee with or without bone involvement in adults

Approved in United States as Carticel for:

• Symptomatic cartilaginous defects of the femoral condyle (medial, lateral or trochlear) caused by acute or repetitive trauma

Approved in European Union as Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation for:

• Cartilage defects of the knee

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Daniel B. F. Saris

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1

Recruited

20+

Published Research Related to This Trial

In a study involving 32 goats, the sutured cell-seeded collagen matrix technique for autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) showed similar effectiveness in repairing cartilage defects compared to traditional ACI methods.

Using glue to secure the cell-seeded membrane resulted in inferior repair outcomes, suggesting that suturing is the preferred method for optimizing cartilage repair in ACI procedures.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

In Vivo Evaluation of Different Surgical Procedures for Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation. Maréchal, M., Van Hauwermeiren, H., Neys, J., et al.[2018]

Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) using fibrin glue has shown promising results in treating deep articular cartilage defects, with the newly formed cartilage exhibiting biomechanical properties similar to natural cartilage.

In a study involving 50 patients, the ACI technique effectively utilized the patient's own cells and fibrin glue as a carrier, suggesting it could be a viable option for cartilage repair in the knee.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Chondrocyte suspension in fibrin glue. Wysocka, A., Mann, K., Bursig, H., et al.[2011]

The study analyzed cells from autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) repair tissues in two patients several years after treatment, revealing that ACI repair cells have a mixed appearance and characteristics similar to both chondrocytes and mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs).

ACI repair cells showed faster proliferation than MSCs but slower than normal chondrocytes, indicating that while they can grow well, their differentiation capacity aligns more closely with MSCs, suggesting a unique role in cartilage repair.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Characterization of the cells in repair tissue following autologous chondrocyte implantation in mankind: a novel report of two cases. Wright, KT., Mennan, C., Fox, H., et al.[2022]

Matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) using spheroids is a safe and effective treatment for medium to large cartilage defects in the knee, showing significant improvement in patient-reported outcomes (KOOS) from a baseline score of 57.0 to 76.9 at 5 years.

The treatment demonstrated consistent efficacy across different defect locations and sizes, with a low treatment failure rate of 4% over 5 years, and most adverse events occurring within the first year, indicating a favorable safety profile.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Safety and Efficacy of Matrix-Associated Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation With Spheroids for Patellofemoral or Tibiofemoral Defects: A 5-Year Follow-up of a Phase 2, Dose-Confirmation Trial. Hoburg, A., Niemeyer, P., Laute, V., et al.[2022]

The combination of chondrons and mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) significantly enhances cartilage matrix production, leading to better cartilage regeneration compared to traditional methods, as shown in both in vitro studies and animal models.

In a goat model, this innovative single-step procedure using chondrons and MSCs resulted in superior cartilage repair outcomes compared to the standard microfracture technique, indicating its potential as a more effective treatment for focal cartilage lesions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Single-stage cell-based cartilage regeneration using a combination of chondrons and mesenchymal stromal cells: comparison with microfracture. Bekkers, JE., Tsuchida, AI., van Rijen, MH., et al.[2013]

Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) can lead to both repair and regeneration of damaged cartilage, as evidenced by the presence of newly synthesized type II collagen in biopsy samples from patients 9-30 months post-surgery.

The study revealed active remodeling at the graft site, with significant enzymatic activity indicating both degradation and synthesis of cartilage matrix components, suggesting that ACI promotes a dynamic healing process.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Matrix turnover in human cartilage repair tissue in autologous chondrocyte implantation. Roberts, S., Hollander, AP., Caterson, B., et al.[2019]

Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) using spheroids of chondrocytes shows promising short- to mid-term safety and efficacy for treating focal cartilage defects, based on a systematic review of 20 studies, including both preclinical and clinical research.

The preclinical studies ensured the quality and safety of the ACI product by evaluating factors like biodistribution and tumorigenicity, supporting its use in clinical settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Role of Matrix-Associated Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation with Spheroids in the Treatment of Large Chondral Defects in the Knee: A Systematic Review. Vonk, LA., Roël, G., Hernigou, J., et al.[2021]

In a study of 13 patients undergoing autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) for knee cartilage defects, T2 mapping showed significant improvement in graft maturation over 36 months, with T2 relaxation times decreasing from 41.6 milliseconds at 6 months to 30.9 milliseconds at 36 months, indicating that the grafts were maturing to resemble healthy cartilage.

Despite the positive changes in T2 relaxation times, there was no correlation found between the clinical outcomes measured by the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores and the T2 values, suggesting that improvements in graft maturation do not necessarily translate to better clinical performance.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Graft maturation of autologous chondrocyte implantation: magnetic resonance investigation with T2 mapping. Niethammer, TR., Safi, E., Ficklscherer, A., et al.[2022]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11965042/

A Single-Stage Cell Therapy for Articular Cartilage Repair ... Our single-stage, combined cell therapy of allogeneic MSCs and autologous chondrons is a viable cell therapy for acute articular cartilage defects.

2. portlandpress.com portlandpress.com/emergtoplifesci/article/5/4/575/229630/Cell-therapy-for-cartilage-repair

Cell therapy for cartilage repair - Portland Press The main cell types used in treating chondral or osteochondral defects in joints to date are chondrocytes and mesenchymal stromal cells derived from various ...

3. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5822962/

Cartilage repair by mesenchymal stem cells: Clinical trial ... Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) is a typical example of tissue engineering widely accepted to treat small to moderate-sized osteochondral defects. The ...

4. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667254524000064

Single-stage autologous chondrocyte coimplantation on a ... One such intervention is autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), which is indicated for “larger” chondral lesions in the tibiofemoral and patellofemoral ...

5. researchinformation.umcutrecht.nl researchinformation.umcutrecht.nl/files/579017795/s12178-025-09949-8.pdf

A Single-Stage Cell Therapy for Articular Cartilage Repair ... This procedure combines allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and autologous chondrons to harness MSCs as signaling cells to stimulate ...

6. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?otool=iaufhhslib&term=39497425

Autologous chondrocyte implantation, matrix-induced ... Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis indicate that ACI, MACI, OAT and OCA all result in significant improvements in knee function and pain for ...

7. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12310097/

Autologous chondrocyte implantation, matrix‐induced ... The purpose of this systematic review and meta‐analysis was to analyze the clinical outcomes of these regenerative surgical techniques with a focus on comparing ...

8. sicot-j.org sicot-j.org/articles/sicotj/full_html/2017/01/sicotj170004/sicotj170004.html

Arthroscopic autologous chondrocyte implantation in the ... The purpose of this case series is to report short-term data of two different injectable matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte implantation ( ...

9. beonbrand.getbynder.com beonbrand.getbynder.com/m/7a320e489fe2ce85/original/Autologous-Chondrocyte-Implantation-for-Focal-Articular-Cartilage-Lesions.pdf

Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation for Focal Articular ... Based on efficacy and safety,. ACI was ranked as the best intervention for failure outcome at 10 years of follow-up, followed by osteochondral ...