Targeted, temperature-responsive delivery to prevent post-traumatic osteoarthritis after knee injuries
Official title: Collagen-mediated approaches to improve the local delivery and hypothermic release of osteoarthritis therapeutics
Funded at University of Delaware · NIH-11415530 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new approach uses heat-sensitive, collagen-based carriers to slowly release medicines in injured knee joints to reduce the risk of osteoarthritis after an ACL injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Delaware NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $575,235 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR080707-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11415530 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with recent knee injuries (e.g., ACL tears) who are at high risk for PTOA and are eligible for local joint therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without a recent knee injury or those not suitable for intra-articular therapy may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to keep therapeutic drugs in the damaged knee joint longer by using elastin-collagen-peptide carriers that release medicine gradually at normal body temperature and release more quickly when slightly cooled. The method targets denatured collagens in the joint to accumulate the drug right where it’s needed, potentially lowering the dose and frequency of administration. It builds on prior lab work and explores how well these carriers stay in the joint and deliver drugs at physiologic temperatures, with the goal of delaying or preventing PTOA after joint injury.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce the risk of developing post-traumatic osteoarthritis and lessen the need for repeated high-dose injections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that targeting damaged joint tissue with localized delivery can improve drug residence time and efficacy in preclinical models.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Delaware
Newark, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Price, Christopher — University of Delaware
- Study coordinator: Price, Christopher
Related research
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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.