Perth-based regenerative medicine company Orthocell Limited (ASX:OCC) has confirmed a United States patent has been accepted for what it says is a potential breakthrough CelGro collagen rope device to enhance the surgical repair of Anterior Cruciate Ligament injuries.
The patent entitled “Collagen Construct and Method for Producing the Collagen Construct” is now approved in Australia, Japan and the United States providing additional important intellectual property to protect the CelGro platform for soft tissue regeneration and repair applications and expires on or after 12 October 2035.
Orthocell Managing Director Paul Anderson said the ACL is one of the major stabilising ligaments of the knee. It connects the thigh bone (femur) to the shin bone (tibia), and once it ruptures, it is incapable of healing. The ACL can be injured in several ways, such as changing direction rapidly, landing from a jump and direct contact or impact
A ruptured ACL is a common injury suffered by active people, usually requiring surgical intervention, with a long period for rehabilitation before returning to preinjury activities.
There are over 200,000 ACL ruptures per year in the United States alone, with up to a quarter of patients needing additional or revision surgery.
“There are currently no off-the-shelf solutions that mimic human ligament to enable the optimal repair of ACL injuries,” Mr Anderson said.
“The CelGro collagen rope addresses this problem, designed to augment ACL reconstruction without the need to harvest the patient’s hamstring tendon.
“With a key US patent in place, Orthocell is ideally positioned to deliver a breakthrough product in this rapidly growing and lucrative market.
We are extremely excited by the potential of this technology and I look forward to releasing the pre-clinical results in Q1 CY2020.”
Orthocell has developed an alternative to tendon graft made from braided collagen fibers for ACL reconstruction.
Mr Anderson said the CelGro collagen rope will significantly improve treatment efficiency and effectiveness by simplifying repair techniques, reducing surgery time and mitigating the risks associated with harvesting the patient’s hamstring tendon.
“Initial pre-clinical results indicate the CelGro collagen rope has superior biomechanical properties and is capable of replacing hamstring grafts for ACL reconstruction. The CelGro rope is designed to provide a unique Australian solution to a common problem and a global market estimated at > $3 billion annually.”
