Medical Technologies IKC | 10
DIRECTLY IMPLANTED DEVICES
Acellular
implants
for
ligament
repair
A worldleading
partnership
Treatment for anterior
cruciate ligament
(ACL) injuries may
require surgery to
replace the ACL
by using a tendon
from elsewhere in
the body or using
donor material. There
are drawbacks to
both types of repair
and, because of
this, researchers
at the University of
Leeds have been
investigating the use
of alternatives.
A proof of concept project,
supported by the Medical
Technologies IKC and WELMEC,
has enabled researchers to test
porcine superflexor tendons,
which have been ‘decellularised’
– a process which removes the
cells from the tissue – before
being implanted into sheep. The
performance of the implants was
monitored over six months, after
which histology tests investigated
how well the implanted material
had regenerated.
Tissue Regenix is
a world-leader in
the development of
regenerative products.
It has been working
with the Medical
Technologies IKC
since 2009 on proof
of concept and codevelopment projects,
as CEO, Antony Odell,
explains.
A: We have new and ongoing
projects with the University of
York, developing our dCELL
technology for bladder repair,
with a pre-clinical study currently
underway.
Q: What has your partnership with
the Medical Technologies IKC
achieved during 2015/16?
The work complements clinical
trials underway by partner
company Tissue Regenix, using
decellularised porcine tendons
(see below).
regenerative potential, and could
offer patients with ACL injuries
many more active years,” says
Professor Eileen Ingham, of the
University of Leeds’ Faculty of
Biological Sciences, who is leading
the research.
Further research by Professor
Ingham’s team, on behalf of NHS
Blood and Transplant Tissue and
Eye Services, is investigating
improvements to human donor
bone-patella tendon-bone grafts,
also for ACL repair. The graft
has been decellularised using
a similar process and tested in
sheep, with similarly promising
histology results. It will now be
manufactured by NHSBT TES.
“Based on the extremely
promising results from the
histology tests, we believe these
types of implant have good
We finalised an agreement
to establish a tissue bank in
Germany which has licensed our
dCELL heart valves with a view
to launching them in the next
few months. This year we’ve also
presented 10-year follow-up data
from our ongoing studies with
partners in Brazil on the dCELL
heart valves, which have shown
excellent results.
In addition, we’re on course to
launch a tendon replacement
device, again based on dCELL
technology, as well as undertaking
characterisation work on a
meniscus device in partnership
with the Medical Technologies IKC.
Q: How valuable is the
relationship between Tissue
Regenix and the Medical
Techologies IKC?
A: We’re able to work with the
IKC on products at different
technology readiness levels –
from the early research phase
onwards. Through this relationship
we’ve been able to accelerate our
product development from proof of
concept to launch.