Scripps gets $12.7M
Scripps Health received a $12.7 million grant to study stem‑cell approaches for repairing larger cartilage and bone injuries in the knee, funding translational research on regenerative treatments. The award targets preclinical and early‑clinical work that will involve bench teams and clinical researchers. (kpbs.org)
Scripps Health landed a $12.7 million state grant to test whether stem-cell-grown tissue can repair larger knee injuries. (scripps.org) The money comes from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, a state agency created by California voters to fund stem cell and gene therapy research. Scripps said the award will cover preclinical studies and planning work over five years. (cirm.ca.gov) (scripps.org) Cartilage is the smooth, cushioning layer on the ends of bones, and knee injuries that also damage the bone underneath are harder to fix. Scripps said its team wants to turn stem cells into cartilage-and-bone tissue that surgeons could implant into those defects. (kpbs.org) (scripps.org) The project is aimed at defects larger than 2 square centimeters, a size where current options are limited. One common procedure for injuries that size uses a plug of cartilage and bone from a deceased donor, called an osteochondral allograft. (scripps.org) Scripps said it is pursuing a “scaffold-free” approach, meaning the cells are grown into tissue without a supporting mesh or frame. The health system said that method is meant to avoid problems scaffolds can have with fitting in and bonding to the patient’s own tissue. (scripps.org) Darryl D’Lima, director of orthopedic research at Scripps Health, is leading the work at the Shiley Center for Orthopaedic Research and Education at Scripps Clinic on Torrey Pines Mesa. Scripps said the studies will include lab tissue engineering and repair surgeries in animal models to test safety and effectiveness. (scripps.org) Knee cartilage injuries affect about 900,000 people a year in the United States, according to a report cited by Scripps from the journal *Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research*. Scripps said a successful implant could ease pressure on the limited supply of donor graft tissue and delay some joint replacement surgeries. (scripps.org) The grant is still at the preclinical stage, not a patient-ready treatment. Scripps said its goal at the end of the five-year award is to submit an application to the Food and Drug Administration for a new drug or biological product. (scripps.org) (msn.com)
