NIAMS Hosts Roundtable on Regenerative Medicine in Knee OA
A recent NIAMS roundtable discussion focused on regenerative medicine approaches for cartilage preservation and restoration in knee osteoarthritis (OA). Researchers, clinicians and FDA and patient representatives met virtually with NIAMS leadership to discuss where and how the institute could facilitate progress in the field.
In OA, cartilage (which covers the ends of the bones in a joint) deteriorates. Over the past decade, investigators have explored a variety of cartilage-regeneration approaches for people with knee OA. Techniques have focused on healing minor structural cartilage defects from injury (which increase OA risk) and restoring cartilage in people with chronic OA that has taken decades to progress.
Despite the high prevalence of knee OA, there are currently no FDA-approved medicines that can repair cartilage defects or alter the course of the disease. However, regenerative medicine has shown promise for restoring the health of cells, tissues and organs.
Roundtable participants reviewed the evidence keyed to safety and efficacy of regenerative therapies for knee OA; discussed emerging therapeutic approaches; and outlined the main challenges and gaps impeding clinical translations of these emerging opportunities.
Read the meeting agenda and watch the archived recording at https://bit.ly/3Fdobpy.