Injectable Collagen Helps Repair Cartilage Defects

Novel liquid collagen implants for treating damaged cartilage allow cells from surrounding tissues to migrate into the implants.

Developed by biotechnology company Amedrix (Esslingen am Neckar, Germany), the ChondroFillerliquid is a dual chamber syringe which applies liquid collagen. The implantation can be done during an arthroscopy; two minutes after the injection into the defect zone, a dimensionally stable gel forms which will is remodeled into the body´s own tissue after a short time. The liquid collagen can treat cartilage defects caused by trauma or degeneration, and it is especially useful for early treatment of smaller defects to prevent serious secondary damages from forming.


ChondroFillerliquid is processed and manufactured in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology (IGB; Stuttgart, Germany), where the collagen protein used for the implant is isolated from animal tendons, and then processed in a 215 m² Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) unit at the IGB that has been certified by the European Community for developing production processes for medical devices or cell-based tissue-engineered products.

“Our new product is arthroscopically injected as a liquid collagen implant. Once injected, the liquid collagen forms a stable cartilage replacement in minutes,” said Thomas Graeve, CEO of Amedrix. “After injection, cartilage and stem cells from the surrounding tissue migrate into the implant and stimulate the self-healing of the cartilage. Within a short time, the result is a new and resilient cartilage.”

Cartilage structures and functions can be damaged due to a variety of causes, such as a bad fall or traumatic sport-accident, previous knee injuries, or wear and tear over time. Articular cartilage damage in the knee may be found on its own, but it will more often be found in conjunction with injuries to ligaments and menisci. Articular cartilage does not usually regenerate after injury or disease, leading to loss of tissue and formation of a defect.

Related Links:
Amedrix 
Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology