MTF Biologics and ConMed Launch Moldable Allogeneic Cartilage Graft CartiMax for Joint Defect Repair

VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) has learned that MTF Biologics, a biologics company, and its commercial partner ConMed have jointly launched CartiMax, an allogeneic cartilage transplantation product designed to easily repair injuries in areas such as the knee, foot, and ankle.

CartiMax is an off-the-shelf allogeneic cartilage graft that provides viable chondrocytes and extracellular matrix, containing essential building blocks for cartilage repair such as type II collagen, proteoglycans, and endogenous growth factors. It can fill cartilage defects up to 5 cm² in size. This cell-based cartilage graft easily conforms to defects of varying shapes and sizes, eliminating the need for traditional implant measurement, trimming, gluing, or suturing. This reduces the number of surgical steps required to manage the lesion site and improves patient outcomes.

MTF Biologics, also known as the Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation, is a non-profit organization headquartered in New Jersey, USA, composed of leading graft manufacturers and academic medical institutions within the industry. MTF Biologics primarily serves orthopedic surgeons and community donors. Since its establishment in 1987, MTF Biologics has distributed more than 8.6 million grafts. In addition, the company provides over 50,000 non-transplant organs for medical research through its subsidiary, IIAM.

“Surgeons have long found it challenging to address cartilage defects in clinical practice,” said Dr. Deryk Jones, a member of the MTF Biologics Board of Directors and an expert in orthopedic sports medicine research. “The launch of CartiMax provides them with an ideal solution. CartiMax is versatile and highly adaptable; clinical trial results have demonstrated significant efficacy in multiple joints, including the knee and ankle. We are proud to bring this innovative product to plastic surgeons and patients.”

Joe Yaccarino, President and CEO of MTF Biologics, also stated, “CartiMax is the result of years of research and development by MTF Biologics in collaboration with surgeons and partners across China. We are expanding our product portfolio across various medical fields, with the aim of establishing new standards of care.”

To date, MTF Biologics has developed more than 100 high-quality allografts. The upcoming CartiMax has also been utilized in three clinical studies: a study on the cellular characteristics of CartiMax, a study on its retention in knee joint models, and a study on its viability characteristics.

It is reported that MTF Biologics will deliver a presentation on its new product, CartiMax, during the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Annual Meeting, held in Las Vegas from March 12 to 16, 2019.

(Compiled by: Feng Yutong)