World's First Knee Joint Regeneration Trial to Begin: 3D Printing Cartilage and Bone from Extracted Fat Cells
According to Nikkei Asia, Japanese startup CyfuseBiomedical, in collaboration with Keio University and Fujita Medical University, will launch the world's first human clinical trial in July this year utilizing 3D printing technology to simultaneously repair knee cartilage and bone. This therapy is expected to provide an alternative for patients suffering from severe knee joint diseases, reducing the physical burden of traditional total knee replacement surgery.
Cyfuse Biomedical uses 3D printing technology to create transplant materials from human cells.
This trial will focus on patients with idiopathic osteonecrosis of the knee. The research team plans to extract cells from human adipose tissue and create 3D-printed transplant materials. In the specific clinical operation, doctors at Fujita Medical University Hospital and Keio University Hospital will implant 8mm diameter cylindrical biomaterials into two and three patients respectively. After implantation into the diseased knee bone, the material will continuously release nutrients required for bone and cartilage regeneration. Prior to entering the human clinical phase, the method has completed safety testing on pigs.
Currently, the mainstream intervention for chronic pain and difficulty walking caused by severe cartilage wear relies on total knee replacement. Professor Yasuo Niki, a regenerative joint treatment expert at Fujita Medical University, pointed out that this trial provides a new attempt to treat osteonecrosis. If clinical efficacy is confirmed, it is expected to benefit millions of knee osteoarthritis patients worldwide in the future.
Knee cartilage and bone before and after regeneration
Cyfuse Biomedical, which provides the core technology, uses bio-3D printing technology without artificial additives, directly using cells to construct three-dimensional materials, thereby reducing the probability of rejection by the patient's body. Masahiro Sanjo, the company's CFO, clearly stated that he hopes to establish a business model around such regenerative medicine products and expand market share. Previously, the company cooperated with Kyoto University and other institutions in January this year to create tubular structures using umbilical cord cells and conducted clinical trials for the repair of peripheral nerve damage in the fingers.