Orthonika Limited, a spin-out from Imperial College London, has been awarded a £1.34 million grant from Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, to complete pre-clinical development and testing of its synthetic total meniscus replacement in preparation for the clinic.
Meniscus injury is severely debilitating, causing pain and restricted movement that limits everyday activities. Current treatment options are limited to suture repair or meniscal allografts, which are in short supply and lead to long waiting times. Where suture repair is not possible, the injured part or remaining meniscus is removed (meniscectomy) to alleviate symptoms in the short term. However, such patients are 14 times more likely to develop osteoarthritis. Meniscectomy has become the most common orthopedic surgical intervention worldwide, with nearly 2 million interventions performed each year. There are currently no approved total meniscus replacements for these patients.
Orthonika’s total meniscus replacement is an orthopedic implant for the knee joint that represents an entirely novel solution, replicating the structure and function of the native meniscus in a first-of-its-kind synthetic option for patients. The implant design is unique, featuring an inherent attachment mechanism incorporated into the underlying structure which allows for optimal load transfer and distribution in the knee joint during mobility. Orthonika’s implant aims to restore the biomechanical function of the meniscus to help reduce pain, improve mobility and ultimately delay the onset of osteoarthritis. It is intended to fill the gap between minimally invasive meniscus repair and total knee replacement.
“There is currently no widely available treatment solution that allows patients to return to a pain-free active lifestyle following meniscectomy,” said Maria Kristina Bartolo, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer at Orthonika. “We are delighted that Innovate UK has recognised the potential for our novel total meniscus replacement to fulfill a significant unmet clinical need and further promote joint preservation.”
Dominique Kleyn, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer said: “This highly competitive award brings additional resource for Orthonika to further expand the team, engage with development partners and manufacturers, and accelerate plans to take our total meniscus replacement product into first in human studies.”
This is the fifth Innovate UK grant awarded to Orthonika, bringing total grant funding to £2 million. The company has also raised equity funding to further support its R&D efforts.