- •Therapy of knee osteoarthritis with autologous BM derived MSCs is feasible and safe.
- •MSCs intra-joint application improves pain and quality of life of OA patients.
- •Clinical improvement of MSCs treated patients persisted up to four years.
- •Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessment is innovative and have shown signs of cartilage regeneration.
Final results of a phase I–II trial using ex vivo expanded autologous Mesenchymal Stromal Cells for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee confirming safety and suggesting cartilage regeneration
Soler, Robert; Orozco, Lluis; Munar, Ana; Huguet, Marina; López, Ramon; Vives, Joaquim; Coll, Ruth; Codinach, Margarita; Garcia-Lopez, JoanKnee
Highlights
Abstract
Background
Cellular therapies have shown encouraging results in the treatment of chronic osteoarthritis (OA). Herein, we present the final results of a phase I–II clinical trial assessing the feasibility, safety and efficacy of ex vivo expanded autologous bone marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSC, XCEL-M-ALPHA), infused intra-articularly, in patients with knee OA.
Methods
Fifteen patients (median age = 52 years) with grade II(9) or III(6) gonarthrosis (Kellgren & Lawrence classification) and chronic pain were treated with an intra-articular infusion of 40.9 × 106 ± 0.4 × 106 MSCin a phase I–II prospective, open-label, single-dose, single-arm clinical trial. Endpoints were safety and tolerability. Efficacy was measured by the Visual Analogue Scale for pain, algofunctional Health Assessment Questionnaire, Quality of Life (QoL) SF-36 questionnaire, Lequesne functional index and WOMAC score. Cartilage integrity was assessed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging and quantitative T2-mapping at 0, 6 and 12 months.
Results
The cell-based product was well tolerated with few reported Adverse Events (mild arthralgia and low back pain). There was a relevant decrease in the intensity of pain since day 8 after the infusion, that was maintained after 12 months. The SF-36 QoL test showed improvement of parameters including bodily pain, role physical and physical functioning at month 12. The health assessment questionnaire revealed a significant decrease of incapacity. Moreover, T2 mapping showed signs of cartilage regeneration in all patients at 12 months post-treatment.
Conclusions
Single intra-articular infusion of XCEL-M-ALPHA is a safe and well-tolerated cell-based product, associated with a long-lasting amelioration of pain, improvement of QoL (up to four years), and signs of cartilage repair.
Link to article