Regenerative medicine company Orthocell (ASX:OCC) has announced the presentation of updated positive results from a study of its tendon cell therapy treatment for tennis elbow in 24 patients who suffered work-related injuries and disability.
The retrospective study was performed in collaboration with Professor Ming Hao Zheng (University of Western Australia) and leading orthopaedic surgeons Dr Jeff Hughes and Dr Alex O’Beirne.
According to Orthocell managing director Paul Anderson, “We are extremely excited by these study results which indicate Ortho-ATI is a cost effective treatment for chronic tendon injuries that are resistant to current treatment approaches and affecting patient’s ability to work.
"Ortho-ATI is proving to be a breakthrough technology with the potential to deliver significant socio-economic benefits, including improved individual productivity and reduced health care costs.”
According to the company, the data indicated Orthocell’s autologous tenocyte injection treatment, Ortho-ATI, significantly improved the clinical outcome of patients with long-term tennis elbow degeneration, showing reduced pain and increased functionality enabling patients to return to work.
Patients involved in the study were in their prime working years, in occupations including manual labour, office administration and other high dexterity roles. Patients experienced, on average, three (range 1-8) failed treatments prior to receiving Ortho-ATI treatment.
The interim study results were presented by Dr Jeff Hughes, treating orthopaedic surgeon and Professor Ming Hao Zheng, Orthocell chief scientific officer, at the 9th Annual PRP and Regenerative Medicine Symposium of The Orthobiologic Institute in Las Vegas.
“These are difficult to treat patients who are impeded in their ability to work and to carry out their essential duties," said Dr Hughes. "Ortho-ATI has been instrumental in helping my patients to recover from long term lateral epicondylitis as a result of a work injury which has proved resistant to other modes of therapy including physiotherapy, corticosteroid & PRP injections and surgery. This new data helps to validate the durability of Ortho-ATI for chronic tendon injury.”