A team from Columbia University has received substantial funding from ARPA-H to create a revolutionary biocompatible knee joint replacement using biomaterials and human stem cells, aiming for clinical trials within five years.
Faculty leads on the new ARPA-H award are Nadeen O. Chahine (left)
and Clark T. Hung.
Pic Courtesy: Steve Myaskovsky/Columbia University Irving Medical Center
The United States-based Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) has awarded nearly US$39 million to a team of researchers from Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) and Columbia Engineering to develop a living knee replacement. This project, dubbed NOVAJoint, aims to create a biocompatible, low-cost, patient-specific knee joint replacement using biomaterials and human stem cells, including the patient’s own cells.
Addressing the osteoarthritis challenge
Osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis, affects millions of people worldwide and poses a significant burden on healthcare systems. The degenerative joint disease gradually worsens over time as cartilage wears down, leading to pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility. With an ageing population and increasing rates of obesity, the prevalence of knee osteoarthritis has been rising steadily.
Current treatment options for advanced osteoarthritis typically involve total knee replacement using prosthetic implants made of metal and plastic. While these procedures are generally successful, they come with potential complications and limitations, including infection, loosening, hardware failure, and persistent pain. Moreover, conventional knee replacements have a limited lifespan, often requiring revision surgeries after 15 to 20 years.
The NOVAJoint solution
The Columbia team’s NOVAJoint project aims to address these challenges by developing a living knee replacement composed of regenerated cartilage and bone. This innovative approach is expected to integrate seamlessly with the patient’s native bone and restore pain-free joint function.
Professor Clark T. Hung, the project’s lead researcher, explained: “The ARPA-H NITRO programme has enabled us to leverage our innovative technologies and expertise to solve one of the most difficult challenges in biomedical engineering.”
The team plans to create two versions of NOVAJoint: one using the patient’s own cells and another using donor cells. This dual approach aims to provide flexibility in treatment options while potentially extending implant life and reducing complications.
A multidisciplinary collaboration
The NOVAJoint project brings together experts from various fields, including biomechanics, biomaterials, stem cells, and orthopaedic surgery. The multidisciplinary team spans several departments at Columbia University, including Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Orthopaedic Surgery, and Dental Medicine.
Key collaborators on the project include: Clark Hung, Professor of Biomedical Engi- neering and Orthopedic Sciences (in Orthopedic Surgery); Nadeen Chahine, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering (in Orthopedic Surgery); Treena Arinzeh, Professor of Biomedical Engineering; Gerard Ateshian, Andrew Walz Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Professor of Biomedical Engineering; Alice Huang, Associate Professor of Bioengineering (in Orthopedic Surgery) and; Roshan Shah, Russell A. Hibbs Associate Professor and Director of Complex Reconstruction at Columbia University, among others.
The team is also partnering with external organisations such as the University of Missouri, New York Stem Cell Foundation, and New York Blood Center for pre-clinical testing and manufacturing.
Ambitious timeline and clinical trials
The researchers have set an aggressive timeline for the project, aiming to create the first prototypes within two years before moving on to preclinical and clinical studies in the final three years. The team plans to conduct a Phase 1 safety clinical trial in the project’s final year.
Commenting on the project, Dr Nadeen O. Chahine, a leader in orthopaedic research and co-lead on the project, said: “NOVAJoint will mark a major milestone in the field of regenerative medicine and orthopaedic surgery, and has the potential to revolutionise musculoskeletal treatments of the many joints that degenerate with age or injury.”
Dr Shah, commented on the project’s potential impact: “Our goal is to push knee replacement to its next stage of evolution and to create a better solution to osteoarthritis. Every day patients ask me about new advancements in knee replacement surgery, hoping for validation of their years of suffering before seeking care. Now I have something to tell them.” The success of this project could pave the way for similar advancements in the treatment of other degenerative joint conditions, potentially revolutionising the field of orthopaedic medicine.
