Progenteq is developing a novel cartiledge replacement therapy that has the potential to revolutionise the treatment of acute knee injuries. The company was founded in 2010 on the work of Professor Charlie Archer's research group at Cardiff University's School of Biosciences. Professor Archer is Leader of the Connective Tissue Biology Group, recognised for excellence in tissue engineering and repair research.
The group has successfully isolated a defined population of cells from the articular cartilage which surround the main bones in the knee joint. These cells display stem-cell like properties and can be expanded in the laboratory to produce very large quantities of cartilage. As a result this cell type could provide an ideal source of material for an "allogeneic" cartilage replacement therapy, whereby cells derived from donors can be taken and used to grow a large tissue bank of cartilage that can be stored and is suitable for insertion into patients with acute knee injuries as and when needed. This model promises a more cost-effective cell therapy than current "autologous" approaches, where cells are removed from a patient, expanded and then implanted into the same patient. The successful development of a cartilage cell bank could also pave the way for treatment of degenerative cartilage damage such as that seen in osteoarthritis.