Breakthrough technology in knee therapy is set to reduce the need for knee replacements.

The implant will enable people to regenerate their own cartilage.

Dominique Wiehahn reports.

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TRANSCRIPT

Repairing knee cartilage has been impossible until now.

This model demonstrates how the scaffold, as shown by the pink, will be implanted into the knee.

It will enable cartilage to repair itself after tearing.

Professor Justin Cooper-White, Dyniform-MRT Inventor: “At the present time, a person who damages their miniscus, certainly in the inner two thirds of it, is not able to repair it themselves. So they’re on the track to osteoarthritis. What our product will do is basically stop that track.”

This will have a huge impact for athletes in particular as the implant will return full functionality to the knee.

Justin Cooper-White, Dyniform-MRT Inventor: “Once we actually put our product into the knee and the tissue regrows itself back, then you will gain full functionality. That’s that’s the aim.”

The research team are currently finalists in a $100,000 Enterprize business planning competition.

If they win, the money will go towards the upcoming trial process.

Trials in sheep are due to start early next year. But the technology won’t reach patients for another six to seven years.

The University of Queensland team behind the breakthrough are confident they can dominate market share.

Dr Craig Belcher, Commercialisation Manager of MeniGen Technologies: “We see it as superior to current products. The challenge is actually taking it through the path of clinical development and funding to get there.”

If all goes to plan this new technology could be available in Australia by 2017.

Dominique Wiehahn, QUT News.