UK officials are backing a five-year program to study a new stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis that has the potential to eliminate the need for joint replacement procedures. The new therapy combines stem cells extracted from the patient and grown in the lab, which are then mixed with chondrocytes before being implanted in damaged areas.
Researchers believe that this new combination approach could be used to regrow new cartilage in a matter of months, offering a much more effective approach to dealing with the crippling ailment. "They certainly have huge potential--we just need to learn how to harness it properly," Professor Sally Roberts tells The Telegraph.
The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry in Shropshire is hosting the study, which plans to recruit 70 patients suffering from osteoarthritis.
- here's the story from The Telegraph