Oxford MESTAR Ltd, in collaboration with an interdisciplinary UCL team from Division of Surgery & Interventional Science and partners in China (Tsinghua University and Shenzhen Lando Co. Ltd), has been awarded a £2m Innovate UK-MoST grant to develop novel osteochondral scaffold technology as a treatment for early intervention of osteoarthritis.
Osteochondral scaffold technology is a technique made possible by recent advances in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, which work with the body’s own natural mechanisms. First, the scaffold is implanted in the osteochondral defect and acts as a physical support structure for cell growth and tissue regeneration. Second, mesenchymal stem cells are then attracted from the bone marrow to promote the simultaneous regeneration of articular cartilage and underlining subchondral bone. Osteochondral scaffolding can be used to repair large cartilage defects in osteoarthritis patients, thus either delaying the need for or acting as a cost effective alternative to joint replacement. Dr Zoe Li, Chief Operation Officer of Oxford MESTAR, said: ”We are delighted to be involved with this partnership and to have been awarded the Innovate UK-MoST grant. Together, we look forward to developing scaffolds for use in human clinical trials and eventually bringing novel, cost effective products to the market, which will enable patients to lead more active and pain-free lifestyles.
