Injectable engineered treatment for post‑traumatic osteoarthritis
Official title: Engineered Biotherapeutic Agent for Treatment of Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis
Funded at Provizigen LLC · NIH-10935988 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will try an injectable gel that slowly releases anti‑inflammatory and cartilage‑protecting medicine into injured knees to help people who develop post‑traumatic osteoarthritis after ACL or other joint injuries.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Provizigen LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 25, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $158,663 |
| NIH project number | 5R41AR083738-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10935988 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with recent knee joint injuries such as ACL tears who are at risk for or in the early stages of post‑traumatic osteoarthritis would be the most likely candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with advanced, end‑stage osteoarthritis or those whose joint problems are not related to traumatic injury are unlikely to benefit from this early cartilage‑protective approach.
What this research studies
The team developed HydroGEN, a protein‑engineered hydrogel that forms a gel inside the joint and provides sustained release of an anti‑inflammatory, chondroprotective molecule. In a rabbit ACL‑transection model, giving HydroGEN immediately after injury largely prevented post‑traumatic cartilage degeneration, and giving it eight weeks later promoted cartilage repair. This SBIR project is focused on moving that approach toward use in people by preparing for early clinical testing of safety, joint retention time, and biological effects on inflammation and cartilage.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the treatment could reduce inflammation, slow or stop cartilage breakdown after joint injury, and lower the chance of needing early joint replacement.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical animal studies, including the developer's rabbit ACL model, have shown benefit, but human clinical evidence for this specific hydrogel approach is still limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Provizigen LLC
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chaugule, Jui Shivaji — Provizigen LLC
- Study coordinator: Chaugule, Jui Shivaji
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.