Nanochon, a medical device company developing Chondrograft, a 3D-printed patented implant for the treatment of articular cartilage defects of the knee, today announced the successful treatment of the first patient in its First-in-Human (FIH) clinical study.
The study is designed to evaluate the safety and performance of Chondrograft in patients with focal chondral defects of the knee. Dr. Juan Osorio and Dr. Emilio Tufiño, who both specialize in regenerative sports medicine, performed the first procedure at The Panama Clinic, Panamá.
The prospective FIH study will enroll patients between the ages of 22 and 60 who have failed conservative treatment options and present with one or two femoral condyle and/or trochlear cartilage lesions.
Articular cartilage injuries remain one of the most challenging conditions in orthopedic medicine, often leading to chronic pain, reduced mobility, and progressive joint degeneration. Current treatment approaches can involve lengthy rehabilitation periods and frequently do not restore durable, functional cartilage tissue.
Chondrograft is designed to provide immediate mechanical support, be minimally invasive, and a “burn-no-bridges” solution for “pre-replacement” patients — those with cartilage damage who need more than temporary relief but aren’t yet candidates for joint replacement.
Following completion of the FIH study, Nanochon plans to initiate a Level 1 multi-center, randomized, controlled, pivotal clinical trial.
