The need for modern medicine to extend quality life of a worldwide aging population requires new technologies and models for testing new therapies or devices. Besides performing high quality research the CMCiB develops innovative tools and provides expertise to help researchers and industry users transfer their innovations to the patient or the market.
Success stories
TRiAnkle: a new regenerative approach for tendon injuries
Millions of people worldwide suffer from tendinopathies and osteoarthritis (OA), painful conditions that especially affects the elderly, women and professional athletes. These disorders are associated with long-term rehabilitation, poor quality of life and high socioeconomic and health costs.
To date, none of existing surgical and non-surgical treatments have provided a successful long-term effect, and often the treated tissues do not restore their complete strength and functionality.
TRiAnkle, a four-years EU-funded project by the Horizon 2020 programme, was conceived to address this clinical gap. The project, coordinated by Viscofan BioEngineering, brought together a multidisciplinary team from across 12 different organisations to develop collagen and gelatine based regenerative solutions for cartilage and tendon repair. Their strategy consisted of personalised implants manufactured using 3D bioprinting technology, using biomaterials and incorporating stem cells and regenerative factors to promote tissue regeneration.
The 3D personalised implants were evaluated in preclinical studies conducted at the Comparative Medicine and Bioimage Centre of Catalonia (CMCiB) under the directions of Dr Mario Marotta from Leitat. The selected prototypes were tested in sheep models and showed improvement of tendon and cartilage injuries in parameters such as vascularisation and collagen density, contributing to the tissue regeneration.
The CMCiB research center boasts state-of-the-art equipment, including modern and advanced operating rooms, high-definition medical imaging equipment such as 3T MRI, as well as highly qualified personnel. This enabled the TRiAnkle consortium to effectively carry out the preclinical trials in large animal models necessary for the successful completion of the European TRiAnkle project. - Dr Mario Marotta
These encouraging results pave the way towards the future clinical translation of TRiAnkle's innovative and regenerative therapy for patients with osteoarticular diseases, addressing current limitations in tissue repair and improving their quality of life.
This success story highlights the role of the CMCiB in helping to advance healthcare innovation by hosting international scientific research with high potential for technology transfer and real-world impact.