Israel develops cartilage repair hydrogel in clinical trial

developed a cartilage repair hydrogel from Israel's Regentis BiomaterialsThis hydrogel, made up of polyethylene alcohol and a certain percentage of fibrin, is a biodegradable synthetic material that can be injected into the cartilage injury site and condensed to form the desired shape as needed, inducing cartilage cells to regenerate and naturally fuse with surrounding tissues by releasing fibrinogenThe company's chief executive, Yasiel Towell, said the key to developing the material was to keep cartilage tissue regeneration in sync with biodegradationSome of the other materials used today are not working well, mainly due to the rapid degradationThe hydrogel they developed has a strong controllability and is achieved by regulating the ratio of polyvinyl alcohol to fibrinogenWhen the proportion of polyethylene alcohol is high, the biodegradation process can be slowed down, giving cells sufficient time for growth and healingKnee cartilage is a transparent joint soft tissue that plays an important role in knee lubrication, shock absorption and load bearingAfter damage to the cartilage in the knee, its regenerative capacity is weak due to a lack of blood supplyWith the global cartilage market currently worth $1.6 billion and 400,000 patients waiting for treatment in the US and Europe alone, it is necessary to develop new ways to promote cartilage regenerationThe technology is now in clinical trials and can be used for other regenerative repair therapy such as bone and spinal cord, in addition to cartilage regeneration(Zheng Xiaochun)