Cartilage material

Abstract

Cartilage materials such as cartilage fluff and a cartilage composition comprising a particulate material are disclosed. These are suitable for stimulating chondrogenesis and / or producing cartilage regeneration. Also disclosed are processes for their preparation. Methods for regenerating articular cartilage are also disclosed, which involve, for example, placing the cartilage fluff or cartilage composition into a cartilage defect.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]Cartilage, particularly articular cartilage, of higher animals, including man, has a limited potential for repair. Following injuries to articular cartilage, the cartilage generally does not repair itself because of its limited capacity for regeneration. The ability to repair is dependent on the extent and the depth of injury and the surviving chondrocytes and normal articular cartilage matrix. In injuries involving subchondral bone, there is no regeneration of the cartilage, but there is typically enlargement and progression of the lesion with associated pain. The ultimate goal of treatment of these lesions is restoration of the cartilage, but in most cases this is not achieved.[0002]Adult articular cartilage is not vascularized and, as stated above, lacks the capacity to regenerate itself after sustaining damage (Vangness, C. T., Jr. et al., Am. J. Orth. 33, No. 25S: 29, 2004). When cartilage is cut, without involvement of subchondral bone, the def...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]The present invention provides one or more significant features. For example, the present invention provides a cartilage fluff or a cartilage composition with demonstrable chondrogenic activity. The cartilage fluff or cartilage composition according to the invention induces new cartilage formation in articular cartilage defects. The cartilage fluff advantageously packs the articular defect without the use of a matrix or vehicle, e.g., glycerol, collagen gel, etc., in combination with the fluff. The cartilage fluff and cartilage composition of the invention show complete or substantially complete regeneration of articular cartilage defects. When placed in a cartilage defect, the inventive cartilage fluff and cartilage composition produce new cartilage growth congruitous with the articular surface, e.g., in defects involving subchondral bone. Furthermore, new cartilage formation may be initiated rapidly. In embodiments, new cartilage formation begins within, a short period of time, e.g., two weeks, and complete, or substantially complete coverage of the defect may occur by about sixteen weeks.

[0008]Advantageously, embodiments of the present invention avoid the difficult process steps of extracting growth factors and proteoglycans and / or similar substances from cartilage with various chemical agents. Embodiments of the present invention produce effective cartilage fluff and cartilage compositions without deleteriously altering the growth factors and other substances present in the cartilage.

Problems solved by technology

Cartilage, particularly articular cartilage, of higher animals, including man, has a limited potential for repair.

Following injuries to articular cartilage, the cartilage generally does not repair itself because of its limited capacity for regeneration.

In injuries involving subchondral bone, there is no regeneration of the cartilage, but there is typically enlargement and progression of the lesion with associated pain.

The ultimate goal of treatment of these lesions is restoration of the cartilage, but in most cases this is not achieved.

However, none of these produces regeneration of the native articular cartilage.