ALT Researchers at Merck KGaA used their previous work with a molecule called growth and differentiation factor 5, GDF5, to work on treatments to support the formation of cartilage and bone

ALT Merck KGaA and Biopharm in Heidelberg, Germany collaborated to produce a number of different modifications of GDF5, and R399E showed the best ability to grow cartilage

ALT R399E reduced the production of cartilage-destroying enzymes and thus the degradation of cartilage. In addition, R399E also reduced the production of inflammatory mediators and pain messengers, resulting in pain reduction

ALT World Arthritis Day 2023

ALT Scientists have been looking at stem cells as a source to build tissues and to explore how our own stem cells can rebuild. During this research, there were some interesting immune responses, leading scientists to look more at the immune system rather than the stem cells.

ALT When you have an infection, your immune system damages the tissue as it is clearing the infection, and it also contributes to rebuilding that tissue. The immune system causes damage to protect you against an infection, but also knows how to repair it.

ALT Scientists have found potential for manipulating the immune system as a therapy, and aim to understand more about immune cells than we do now about stem cells.

ALT “I think one of the questions that people who are listening to this podcast are asking, because they've got osteoarthritis or they know somebody that has osteoarthritis, is where are we in the journey to taking this stuff from the labs into the clinic and actually helping people?” -Dr. Jennifer Elisseeff, Professor and Director, Translational Tissue Engineering Center, Johns Hopkins University