Orthocell locks in patents in China and New Zealand for CelGro® soft tissue sutureless repair

Orthocell Ltd (ASX:OCC) has been granted New Zealand and Chinese patents for its CelGro® collagen medical device platform for soft tissue regeneration applications. Patents are now approved in Australia, New Zealand, China and Japan, with patent applications progressing well in the US and Europe. Results from the company’s pre-clinical and clinical trials show sutureless repair of soft tissue has the potential to greatly improve the efficiency and efficacy of surgical soft tissue procedures. Supercharged IP Orthocell managing director Paul Anderson said the latest patent grants further strengthened the company’s impressive intellectual property position. “It further strengthens our position in regenerative medicine product development and novel surgical techniques for soft tissue repair,” he said. “Sutureless or tensionless repair is of particular importance in the optimal repair of damaged nerves and is a key part of the repair process undertaken in the CelGro nerve regeneration clinical study. “This comes at a perfect time for us as we move our exciting pipeline products in nerve, tendon and ligament repair through the registration process in the US, EU and AUS.” The sutureless future Sutureless repair of soft tissue refers to the method of repairing damaged soft tissue without the use of damaging sutures or stitches. This can simplify surgery techniques, reducing surgery time and reducing the risk of additional trauma to soft tissue caused by the use of stitches. Orthocell’s patented method of sutureless repair involves the use of CelGro, a resorbable collagen medical device that, when implanted at the site of tissue injury, acts as a cell scaffold, forming a favourable micro-environment that encourages new cell growth. In the above picture, cells (in red) from the regenerating tissue integrate with the collagen fibres (in green) to guide tissue regeneration. Orthocell’s pre-clinical studies have shown at a microscopic level that CelGro produces superior nerve repair and return of muscle function in severed peripheral nerves when compared to the traditional (direct suture) repair method. CelGro resulted in a tensionless repair whilst maintaining alignment of nerve ends during surgical reconnection, resulting in a repair indistinguishable from normal nerve structure. This technology also facilitated a 30% greater transmission of electrical impulses and corresponding muscle function, compared with the direct suture method, which caused scarring and fibrosis impeding nerve growth, leading to disordered nerve alignment and inferior repair. Meanwhile, Orthocell has completed patient treatments in its CelGro nerve regeneration clinical study involving 19 patients and 36 nerve repairs. It is currently analysing the data from all patients at 12 months post-treatment and is on track to provide a full report of study results in the near term. - Daniel Paproth