Regeneration of Knee and Ankle Cartilage from Autologous Cartilage Mini-grafts (from the Patient's Own Cells)

Launched by VANARIX SA · Mar 19, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying a new treatment for repairing damaged cartilage in the knee and ankle. Specifically, the researchers are testing a method using small pieces of cartilage created from the patient's own cells, called Cartibeads. To make these Cartibeads, a small sample of cartilage is taken from the patient and the cells are cultured in a lab to grow more of them. These grown cells can then form tiny beads that have similar properties to natural cartilage. The main goal of this study is to see if this treatment is safe and effective for patients with cartilage injuries.

To be eligible for the trial, participants need to be at least 18 years old and have a specific type of cartilage injury that is larger than 1.5 cm but smaller than 10 cm. They should also have been experiencing pain for at least three months. However, individuals who have had recent cartilage surgeries or injections, or those with certain joint diseases, may not qualify. If someone is selected for the trial, they can expect to have the Cartibeads implanted into their injured cartilage, and they will be monitored for 12 months to evaluate the safety and success of the treatment.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Key inclusion criteria:
• • Cartilage focal lesion(s) ≥ 1.5 cm2 and ≤ 10 cm2
• • ICRS grade 3 or 4
• • Pain for 3 months or more
• • Aged over 18 years
• • Key exclusion criteria
• • Inability to undergo MRI
• • Cartilage specific surgery within 12 months from baseline
• • Cartilage therapeutic injection within 3 months from baseline
• • Radiologically apparent degenerative joint disease (K\&L grade \>1)
• • Chronic inflammatory arthritis and/or infectious arthritis