Introduction of ACI for Cartilage Repair

March 10, 2026 updated by: Dr. Robin Martin, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois

Introduction of Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation Procedure for the Treatment of Chondral Defect in the Knee

This study was aimed to evaluate effectiveness and safety of autologous chondrocyte suspension for treatment of knee articular cartilage defects.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

  • Prospective and interventional study
  • All procedures are carried out after obtaining informed written consent from patients.
  • Study procedures involve a biopsy, cell production, cell implantation and follow-up including a strict post-surgery rehabilitation protocol (12 month timepoint)
  • All subjects will be assessed at intervals post-implantation (6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months).
  • Measures to assess effectiveness and safety will be conducted at follow-ups: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MOCART score), collection of adverse events, orthopaedic scores (KOOS, IKDC, SF12v2)

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
218

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Switzerland
    • Canton of Vaud
      • Lausanne, Canton of Vaud, Switzerland, 1011
        • Recruiting
        • Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois - CHUV
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

15 years to 50 years (Child, Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Age between 15 and 50.
  2. Lesions classified as ICRS Grade III or IV and smaller than 15 cm2
  3. Lesions that have failed prior therapy (conservative or surgical treatment ≥ six months)
  4. Subjects who understand and sign the consent form for this study

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Body mass index (BMI) of 35 or more
  2. Osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis
  3. Diffuse lesion
  4. Uncorrected mal-alignment, ligamentous instability, or meniscal tear
  5. Presence of growth cartilage (15-18 years old)
  6. Active smoking or drug consumption
  7. Women who are pregnant
  8. Positive serology for HIV-1 or HIV-2, Hepatitis B and C and syphilis
  9. Proven allergy to porcine collagen, penicillin and gentamicin
  10. Poor compliance

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Autologous Chondrocyte Injection
Autologous chondrocytes were isolated and expanded in laboratory, then injected at 2x10^6 of cells per cm^2 of the cartilage defect.
Other: autologous chondrocytes
autologous chondrocytes implantation (ACI)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Rate of implantation-associated complications: serious adverse events (SAEs) and serious adverse reactions (SARs)
Time Frame: Up to 12 months.
Post-implantation data collection: Types, probability and severity of treatment (inflammation, infection,pain, joint effusion, delamination, transplant rejection, fibrocartilage, incomplete cartilage reparation).
Up to 12 months.
Change in tissue integrity into and around the treated aera
Time Frame: 3 months post-implantation
MRI analysis
3 months post-implantation
Absence of infection after implantation.
Time Frame: 6 weeks post-implantation
Absence of infection is assessed in blood sample by the quantification of three parameters: C-reactive Protein (CRP), neutrophil and lymphocyte rate. The non-infection is characterised by a CRP rate < 10 mg/L, neutrophil rate ranges from 40-75% and lymphocyte rate ranges from 25-40%.
6 weeks post-implantation

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Self-reported function and knee-related quality of life are assessed by using the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS)
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 12 months post-implantation.
KOOS includes five subscales: symptoms, pain, activities of daily living, function in sport/recreation, and knee-related quality of life. A score in points for each subscale will be calculated, and it ranges from 0 (worst score) to 100 (best score).
Change from baseline to 12 months post-implantation.
Self-reported physical pain and function are assessed by International Knee Documentation Committee score (IKDC)
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 12 months post-implantation
A score will be calculated, and it ranges from 0 (worst score) to 100 (best score).
Change from baseline to 12 months post-implantation
Self-reported functional health and weel-being as assessed by SF12 Survey
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 12 months post-implantation
SF12 survey includes 2 subscales: mental component summary (MCS) and physical component summery (PCS). A score in points for each subscale will be calculated, and it ranges from 0 (worst score) to 100 (best score).
Change from baseline to 12 months post-implantation
The cartilage repair is assesed by Magnetic Resonance Observation of Cartilage Repair Tissue (MOCART) scoring system.
Time Frame: Change from baseline to12 months post-implantation
MOCART scoring system is based on MRI analysis. A score in points will be calculated, and it ranges from 0 points (no repair) to 100 points (excellent cartilage defect repair)
Change from baseline to12 months post-implantation

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Robin MARTIN, MD, CHUV

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 1, 2017

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
September 1, 2030

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
September 1, 2030

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 1, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 4, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 5, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
March 11, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 10, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • ACI-OTR

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Chondral Defect

Clinical Trials on autologous chondrocytes

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings