【RESEARCH NEWS STORY】A Novel Treatment for Osteoarthritis Using Discarded Cells from Other Patients’ Surgeries
The paper about our clinical study "A Novel Treatment for Osteoarthritis Using Discarded Cells from Other Patients’ Surgeries" has been published in npj Regenerative Medicine.
In 2022, our project was selected for the AMED grant program
"Research Project for Practical Applications of Regenerative Medicine."
Our clinical study " Physician-initiated clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of intra-articular injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for osteoarthritis of the knee: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo Controlled, Clinical Trial" was selected for funding by Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) under the grant program "Research Project for Practical Applications of Regenerative Medicine."
In 2021, our project was selected for the AMED grant program
"Research Project for Practical Applications of Regenerative Medicine."
Our clinical study " Completion of the Advanced Medical Care through autologous cell sheet transplantation targeting osteoarthritis of the knee" was selected for funding by Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) under the grant program "Research Project for Practical Applications of Regenerative Medicine."
In 2020, our project was selected for the AMED grant program
"Research Project for Practical Applications of Regenerative Medicine."
Our clinical study " Clinical study for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee through the transplantation of allogeneic chondrocyte sheets" was selected for funding by Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) under the grant program "Research Project for Practical Applications of Regenerative Medicine."
In 2018, our project was selected for the AMED grant program
" Research Center Network for Realization of Regenerative Medicine:
Projects for Technological Development "
Our clinical study "Study of chondrocyte sheets derived from induced pluripotent stem cells for accelerated establishment of a regenerative treatment for articular cartilage"was selected for funding by Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) under the grant program " Research Center Network for Realization of Regenerative Medicine: Projects for Technological Development."
In 2017, our project was selected for the AMED grant program
"Research Project for Practical Applications of
Regenerative Medicine."
Our clinical study " Realization of regenerative medicine through allogeneic chondrocyte sheets for treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee " was selected for funding by Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) under the grant program "Research Project for Practical Applications of Regenerative Medicine."
In 2017, our project was selected for the AMED grant program
" Project Focused on Developing Key Evaluation Technology:
Evaluation for Industrialization in the Field of Regenerative Medicine "
Our clinical study " Development of methods for evaluating the efficacy of allogeneic chondrocyte sheets " was selected for funding by Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) under the grant program " Project Focused on Developing Key Evaluation Technology: Evaluation for Industrialization in the Field of Regenerative Medicine."
Clinical study using allogeneic cells
(cells donated by someone else) has started
We have begun providing regenerative medicine (clinical study) with the transplantation of allogeneic cell sheets to patients with cartilage defects. Please check here for details about the selection criteria for the clinical study, and if interested, we recommend making an outpatient visit to the Department of Orthopaedics at Tokai University Hospital.
Public symposium/lecture
AMED Research Project for Practical Applications of Regenerative Medicine
Realization of regenerative medicine through allogeneic chondrocyte sheets for treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee
Public symposium/lecture
On November 22, 2019 (Fri) at The Fukuracia marunouchi oazo in marunouchi, Tokyo, AMED Research Project for Practical Applications of Regenerative Medicine public symposium/lecture “Realization of regenerative medicine through allogeneic chondrocyte sheets for treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee” was held. At the symposium, speakers from both academia and industry introduced their efforts toward the realization of regenerative medicine, including lectures pertaining to regenerative medicine.
Under the cosponsorship of AMED and Tokai University Regenerative Medicine Research Group, this public symposium/lecture as a part of AMED Research Project for Practical Applications of Regenerative Medicine was hosted by the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Tokai University School of Medicine. 100 people including many researchers from universities and industry gathered to listen to the lectures and enthusiastically engaged in Q&A and discussions. This event provided researchers in the field of regenerative medicine to directly exchange opinions and engage in discussions as well.
Research Summary
Osteoarthritis of the knee (OA) is an intractable degenerative disease of the joint that is slow progressing and widely prevalent. To date, no fundamental treatment exists, and with a global aging population, the increasing number of OA patients is a serious concern, making a fundamental treatment for OA imperative.
We were the first to report the regenerative effects of chondrocyte sheets fabricated on temperature-responsive culture dishes for the treatment of partial-thickness defects in articular cartilage, traditionally considered a difficult tissue to regenerate.
In 2011, with the approval from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan, we began a clinical study for the transplantation of chondrocyte sheets fabricated from the patients’ own cells (transplantation of autologous chondrocyte sheets). We confirmed the safety of this treatment method and improvement in clinical scores and verified the regeneration of hyaline cartilage in all eight patients entered into the study. Currently, we are conducting a second clinical study for the transplantation of chondrocyte sheets fabricated from other donor cells (transplantation of allogeneic chondrocyte sheets), and as of winter of 2018, 6 patients have been treated through this method and are recovering favorably. Our main goal is to conclude this clinical study successfully to confirm safety and then to establish this regenerative medicine for the treatment of OA, which adapts Japan’s original technology namely cell sheet technology.
