Orthocell Ltd (ASX:OCC) has secured another regulatory approval for its CelGro collagen rope product after Japanese regulators approved a patent for the rope’s manufacturing method.
CelGro collagen rope is manufactured in Western Australia and is also protected by patents in other major markets, including the US, Europe, China, Canada, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
The Japanese patent protects the CelGro platform for use in soft tissue regeneration and repair applications for 20 years.
Orthocell managing director Paul Anderson reported today: “We are extremely excited by the potential of this technology.
“An off-the-shelf biological device that augments ACL reconstruction is highly desired by the orthopaedic industry and Orthocell is ideally placed to deliver a superior product in this rapidly growing and lucrative market.”
CelGro collagen rope has been shown to improve tissue in-growth and repair in clinical studies.
The invention acts as a guide for bone regeneration in the jaw, augments rotator cuff tendon repair in the shoulder, and accelerates re-joining of severed or damaged peripheral nerves.
Nerve restoration evident
Last month, Anderson spoke to Proactive Investors about CelGro and positive pre-clinical results seen with the WA company’s product in nerve repairs.
Anderson told Proactive: “This collagen medical device, it’s a biological nature, actually helps the repair mechanism but also enhances the repair mechanism.
“As a result of that, what we’re seeing is a product that helps surgeons to do the operation but mostly importantly it’s resulting in a superior outcome to any of the other products or approaches that we’re seeing currently in the market.”
A reported study of CelGro in rats showed nerve fibres had been completely restored and were indistinguishable from normal nerve histology.
A CelGro history
CelGro was developed with globally-renowned bone and joint Professor Minghao Zheng and his institution, the Group of Eight university, the University of Western Australia.
Orthocell co-founder Winthrop Professor Zheng studied medicine at Shantou University and Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Sciences in China before moving to UWA in 1989.
Murdoch-based Orthocell has reported it expects the global addressable market for CelGro is more than US$2.6 billion (A$3.8 million) and growing.
Next steps for the company include further analysis of pre-clinical results from CelGro use in ACL reconstruction for a December 2019 financial quarter clinical update.
Orthocell is housed near Murdoch University, close to major WA hospitals that service the state’s South West and Perth southern suburbs.
These hospitals include major state and private hospital campuses, such as Fiona Stanley Hospital and St John of God Murdoch Hospital.