Clinical trial Recruiting at 4 sites Phase 2 Interventional Ages 18 and up

Evaluating CartiLife® for knee cartilage defects

Official title: A Multi-Center, Open-Label, Phase 2 Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of CartiLife® for Patients With Articular Cartilage Defects in the Knee

Run by Biosolution Co., Ltd. · NCT04744402 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study is testing if a new treatment using patients' own cartilage cells can help adults with knee cartilage damage feel better and improve their knee function.

Quick facts

PhasePhase 2
Study typeInterventional
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
Enrollment25 (estimated)
SponsorBiosolution Co., Ltd.
Industry-sponsored
Drugs / interventionschemotherapy, radiation
Locations5 sites (Irvine, California and 4 other locations)
StatusRecruiting
StartedOctober 28, 2020
Main results expectedDecember 2023
Study endsDecember 2023
Registry record updatedAugust 28, 2023
Trial IDNCT04744402 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates are adults over 18 with specific cartilage lesions in the knee that meet defined size and severity criteria.

Probably not a fit

Patients with less severe cartilage defects or those with unstable knee conditions may not benefit from this treatment.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This phase 2 clinical trial aims to assess the safety and efficacy of CartiLife®, a pellet-type extracellular matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte treatment, for adults suffering from articular cartilage defects in the knee due to trauma or degeneration. Participants will receive an implantation of their own cultivated chondrocytes, and the study will measure outcomes related to structural regeneration, function, and pain relief at 48 weeks post-treatment. The trial is open-label, meaning both the researchers and participants will know the treatment being administered.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this treatment could significantly improve knee function and reduce pain for patients with cartilage defects.

How similar studies have gone: Previous studies on autologous chondrocyte implantation have shown promising results, suggesting potential success for this approach.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

In order to be eligible to participate in this study, an individual must meet all of the following:

1. Male or female subjects aged over 18 at the time of signing the Informed Consent form
2. Subject who has a size of the relevant cartilage lesion ≥ 2 cm2 and ≤ 10 cm2 but with a defect area total volume ≤ 4 cm3
3. Subject with isolated International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) Grade III or IV chondral lesion on articular cartilage
4. Subject who has a lower extremity alignment within 5 degrees of the neutral weight bearing axis
5. Subject who can move independently and has a mechanically stable knee (normal ligament status)
6. Subject with intact or partial meniscus status (\>50% of meniscus)
7. Subject who has KOOS pain value less than 60 at baseline
8. Subject who agrees to actively participate in a rehabilitation protocol and follow-up program
9. Subject who is able to provide informed consent and comply with study requirements
10. Subject who is willing to discontinue any nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) except rescue medication (\< acetaminophen 4 g per day) 7 days prior to visit
11. Subject who has Body Mass Index (BMI) ≤ 37 kg/m2
12. Female and male subjects of childbearing potential who are willing to use adequate contraception methods for the duration of the trial.

Exclusion Criteria:

Individuals who meet any of the following will be excluded from participation in this study:

1. Subject who has inflammatory articular diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or gout or pseudogout
2. Subject who has radiographic evidence of grade 4 osteoarthritis based on the Kellgren and Lawrence criteria
3. Subject who has received an intra-articular treatment within the last 3 months
4. Subject who has had a surgical procedure on the knees within the last 6 weeks (Subjects can be considered enrollment per the investigator's discretion)
5. Subject who has a condition in another lower extremity joint that interferes with the function of the index knee
6. Subject who would receive a concomitant surgical procedure on the knees at the time of the study treatment
7. Subject whose articular cartilage defect is asymptomatic
8. Subject who has any clinically significant disease, which is judged by the investigator to affect this clinical trial, including but not limited to diabetes not adequately controlled, bleeding diathesis or hematologic disease, endocrinopathies, cardiovascular disease, renal disease (severe renal impairment), autoimmune disease, inflammatory arthritis, and current infectious disease
9. Subject with other diseases including tumors except for cartilaginous defects of joints
10. Subject who has a history of hypersensitivity to gentamicin, other aminoglycosides, or products of porcine or bovine origin
11. Subject who participates in concurrent trials or in previous trial within 30 days of signing informed consent
12. Subject who has any radiation therapy or chemotherapy within 2 years prior to screening
13. Subject who is currently pregnant or nursing
14. Subject who has any degenerative muscular, connective tissue or neurological condition or other disease process that would interfere with healing or the evaluation of outcome measures.
15. Subject with known HIV infection, active hepatitis C and/or hepatitis B infection
16. Subject who has ligament instability \> Grade 1
17. Subject who is an active drug/alcohol abuser or has a history of alcohol or drug abuse during the last two years.
18. Subject who has significant lab abnormalities for the following parameters (If the value is within 10% of the listed laboratory exclusion criterion value and the value is considered not to be clinically significant by the investigator, the subject can be considered for enrollment):

    * Serum ALT and AST \> 3 x upper limit of normal
    * Serum creatinine \> 1.5 x upper limit of normal
    * PT/INR out of normal range
    * Hemoglobin \< 10 g/dL for female subject and hemoglobin \< 11 g/dL for male subject
    * Platelets out of normal range
    * Hemoglobin A1c levels \> 9%

Where it's running

  • Biosolutions Clinical Research Center
    La Mesa, California, United States
    Recruiting
  • Horizon Clinical Research
    La Mesa, California, United States
    Recruiting
  • Lafayette General Health
    Lafayette, Louisiana, United States
    Recruiting
  • Ohio State University
    Columbus, Ohio, United States
    Recruiting
  • Tilda Research
    Irvine, California, United States
    Not yet recruiting

Study contacts

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

  • MACI versus bone marrow stimulation for symptomatic ankle cartilage defects in people 17–65

    This treatment comparison tests whether MACI (your own cultured cartilage cells on a collagen membrane) works better than bone marrow stimulation for people aged 17 to 65 with symptomatic cartilage defects of the talus.

    Recruiting at 12 sites Phase 3 Vericel Corporation · Gilbert, Arizona and 11 other locations · NCT06915233

  • Using rib cartilage to treat ankle joint lesions

    This study is testing whether using rib cartilage to treat ankle joint damage can help people recover better and have fewer side effects than a different treatment.

    Recruiting The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University · Guangzhou, Guangdong · NCT05942430

  • Comparing AMIC and microfracture for hip cartilage damage

    This study is testing whether a new treatment called AMIC works better than microfracture for helping people with hip cartilage damage feel better and improve their quality of life after surgery.

    Recruiting Phase 1 McMaster University · Hamilton, Ontario · NCT05402072

  • Using autologous chondrocyte suspension for knee cartilage repair

    This study is testing whether using a patient’s own cartilage cells can help repair knee cartilage damage and improve their knee function over a year.

    Recruiting Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois · Lausanne, Canton of Vaud · NCT04296487

  • Comparing MACI and microfracture treatments for knee cartilage defects in teens

    This study is testing whether a new cartilage treatment called MACI works better than a standard procedure called microfracture for knee problems in teens aged 10 to 17.

    Recruiting at 12 sites Phase 3 Vericel Corporation · Palo Alto, California and 14 other locations · NCT03588975

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.