A research team from the University of Colorado (UC) has developed a technique that uses an injection to restore a joint damaged by osteoarthritis, eliminating the need for prosthetic joint replacement.
The project is led by Stephanie Bryant, a professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. The team is currently testing two parallel approaches. The first involves injections of an already FDA-approved drug, delivered through a specialized system of microparticles. Preliminary data suggests this method could restore the joint surface within four to eight weeks.
The second approach entails introducing engineered proteins via arthroscopy—through a small incision—with the aim of stimulating the regeneration of cartilage and the underlying bone.
Hundreds of millions of people worldwide suffer from osteoarthritis, which remains a leading cause of disability among individuals over the age of 50. The conventional treatment offered at advanced stages today is total joint replacement—replacing the joint with a metal or polymer implant.
This surgery carries numerous risks, requires a lengthy rehabilitation period, and prosthetic joints have a limited lifespan, eventually necessitating replacement, which introduces new risks, particularly for elderly patients. This is why techniques that avoid joint replacement hold such immense promise.
Clinical trials on humans are scheduled to begin in a year and a half. Commercialization efforts are being handled by staff at Renovare Therapeutics Inc.
About the Author
