Fracture putty for treating major bone repair faster and better through stem cell technologies

Summary

Large bone fractures are a major cause amputation of limbs for US warfighters and we are developing a fast bone healing process using the sheep as a model. This also addresses human and veterinary orthopedic needs.

Situation

Healing of critical size defects is a major challenge to the orthopedic research community, in that the defect must both be stabilized and rapid bone formation induced in order to replace the missing tissue prior to infection, and allow the individual to ambulate. To date no single material can suffice.

Response

We have an established multidiscipline and multi-institutional group actively engaged in the tissue engineering of bone through funding from the Department of Defense. The investigators include the PI, Dr. Michael Heggeness (an Orthopedic Surgeon at University of Kansas Medical Center) and John Peroni (University of Georgia, Large Animal Veterinarian). Our group has been working productively together on numerous projects through the last several years; a collegial relationship and successful collaborative working relationship is already established to develop “fracture putty”

Impact

In 2104 we are continue research to take this therapy closer to clinical trials. In 2013 we received an additional $970K from the Department of Defense via University of Kansas Medical Center. In 2009 to 2012 our collaborations resulted in a grant ($1.4 million) received from the Department of Defense for use of our stem cells in fracture healing. ($1.4 million) to be tested in sheep. In our initial studies, we determined an optimal formulation of PEG-DA hydrogels that would sequester the Ad5F35BMP2 transduced cells and elicit rapid endochondral bone formation. Towards this goal, we first optimized the molecular weight of the polymer, mesh size, and BMP2 release kinetics to determine the molecular weight-cell number combination that yielded maximum BMP2 secretion, cell viability, and mechanical properties. We then demonstrated the ability of the hydrogel encapsulated cells to secrete BMP2 in a localized area, and produce endochondral bone. One of the most significant findings of this study was the lack of any inflammatory response to the biomaterials, within the animal, whether loaded with cells or just the material itself. This was in sharp contrast to other biomaterials routinely used such as collagen, ceramics, or mineralized materials which elicit a significant immune rejection of the material. In 2012 we have started a small company call SciStem to commercialize fracture putty for veterinary and human application and we have filed a provisional patent application on our discoveries.

State Issue

Other Issue

Details

• Year: 2014
• Geographic Scope: International
• County: Clarke
• Program Areas:
  • Agriculture & Natural Resources