Novel Regenerative Approaches for Osteoarthritis

A multinational biopharmaceutical company with long-standing presence in rheumatology and more recently, immuno-dermatology and bone disorders, are interested in the musculoskeletal area by exploring further indications in this space.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease of high prevalence with high unmet need due to severe pain and joint impairment. It is a multifactorial and heterogenous disease where pathology is only partially understood. Current treatments focus on the pain aspect of the disease with no approved disease modifying therapies that promote structural joint improvement via anabolic cartilage effects. 

Our client is looking for approaches that have a significant impact on disease progression by driving cartilage tissue regeneration to circumvent the need for joint surgery, while at the same time providing symptomatic benefit by managing pain. 

Approaches of Highest Interest

• Novel biology with first-in-class potential
• The approach must provide tissue regeneration in the joint, approaches with simultaneous effects on pain are favoured
• Strong link to human disease (genetics, observational or ex-vivo patient data)
• Validation through in vivo data from relevant disease models is preferred

Secondary Preference Criteria

• Imaging and/or biomarker data to support treatment effect (e.g. growth of cartilage, structural improvement) and/or patient stratification
• Potential systemic approaches to osteoarthritis 
• Clinically facing academics focussed on translation
• Laboratories with access to human tissues

Out of Scope

Cell therapy and blood products/ tissue extracts (e.g. platelet-rich plasma) are not of interest. 

Development Stages of Interest

Our client is interested in opportunities from basic through to phase II research. 

Application Information

One‑page research summaries are encouraged, plus any relevant non‑confidential supporting documents.