Histogenics grows the NeoCart® implant ex vivo (outside the body) from the patient’s own cartilage cells in a patented, high-pressure tissue engineering processor. This processor mimics the natural conditions experienced in the knee while walking, producing more natural neocartilage than other techniques.
Phase I trials showed improvement in function and relief of pain, with 87.5 percent of subjects with good fill at 12 months, versus 50 percent of subjects with good fill who had undergone microfracture. The NeoCart Phase II trial is complete, with 6, 12 and 24-month data trends superior to the control arm microfracture.
Advantages
NeoCart implant promises an advanced solution for joint repair to help restore a patient’s active lifestyle.
- Starts with a patient’s own cartilage cells from a simple biopsy
- Incorporates patented 3D matrix to protect cells and encourage growth and development of cartilage tissue
- Results in optimally produced tissue containing both multipying cells and substantial amount of true cartilage tissue
- Is easy to handle and implant
- Can treat large cartilage defects
- Uses proprietary bioadhesive for strength and biocompatibility – no suturing
- Integrates with surrounding native cartilage
Treatment
NeoCart treatment has three phases.
Cell collection.The process begins during a short, simple arthroscopic examination when an orthopedic surgeon takes a cartilage biopsy from a non-weight bearing area of the joint. The tissue biopsy is sent to the Histogenics manufacturing facility for culturing into the implant.
Tissue production. The cartilage cells, or chondrocytes, are isolated from the cartilage and multiplied using standard tissue culture techniques. The cells are harvested, seeded into a unique 3-dimensional collagen scaffold, and cultured under exacting conditions of high pressure, oxygen concentration and perfusion.
Implant. After a few weeks, a discrete three-dimensional piece of the patient’s own neocartilage, having characteristics of maturing native articular cartilage, is sent to the physician and implanted into the defect in a simple procedure that usually takes less than an hour. Within months, the matrix remodels, the cells mature, and the cartilage integrates with the host tissue.
