A MAJOR clinical trial helping to transform the lives of people with damage to their knee joint or cartilage is coming to an end at Gobowen’s Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Hospital (RJAH).

The trial is running in partnership with Keele University and supported by the Orthopaedic Institute Charity, Versus Arthritis and the Medical Research Council.

An RJAH spokesman explained the trial.

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They said: “The hospital has led the way in pioneering a specialised treatment called Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (ACI), in which patients have their own cartilage cells (called chondrocytes) taken out of their knee, grown in a laboratory and then put back into the knee in a second procedure to repair the damaged cartilage and slow or stop the degenerative process.

“Clinical ACI studies began in the late 1990s and were finally given approval by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for use on the NHS in 2017.

“But by then a new trial had started called ASCOT (Autologous Stem cells, Chondrocytes Or the Two), in which stem cells from the patient’s bone marrow were also used to repair damage.

“The ASCOT trial aimed to determine if there are differences in patient outcome when using stem cells from bone marrow, either alone or in combination with ACI.”

Clinicians and a cohort of around 30 patients attended a celebratory event to mark the end of the trial and consider next steps.

Dr Karina Wright, a research scientist from Keele University but based at RJAH, is a key member of the team overseeing the ASCOT trial.

She said: “The pain and disability from end-stage osteoarthritis (OA) is well known, as too is the success of knee and hip replacements. 

“However, most patients receiving joint replacements will suffer an injury causing damage to their cartilage or joint many years or decades before, starting a degenerative process that forces them to live in great pain. As a result, patients are unable to do their job or things they wish until they are ‘old enough’ to have a new knee or hip.

“ACI and the work we have done on the ASCOT Trial have been giving these patients new hope. We’ve had more than 100 patients on the ASCOT Trial, and seen impressive results.”

One patient was 30-year-old professional tennis player Lauren McMinn, from Shrewsbury, who feared her career was over at 23 after and arthroscopy operation to ‘clean out’ her knee failed.

But she went on to undergo cell therapy on the ASCOT Trial and has since recovered to the point that earlier this year she was able to take part in her first two international events since the injury.

“As a sports person you are really identified by your career,” said Lauren.

“I viewed myself as an athlete and I started to wonder if that is going to come to an end. I didn’t really know how to deal with that.

“Since having cell therapy, I have managed to go back to playing tournaments.

“I played a couple earlier this year at an international level – I didn’t win, but the fact that I walked off court in one piece was already a win for me.”

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Debra Alexander, fundraiser for the Orthopaedic Institute Charity, said: “To know that we have helped fund both the OSCELL Cell Manufacturing Facility to produce the chondrocytes and the ASCOT Clinical Trial, reiterates just how important our work is.

“We are extremely grateful for the support received year on year which enables us to continue with these vital services. 

If you can help us raise funds please contact us on 01691 404561, or email enquiries@orthopaedic-institute.org"