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Development of Injectable Super-Lubricious Microgels for Sustained Release of Platelet-Rich Plasma to Treat Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis

Award Number: R01AR081270
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTHRITIS & MUSCULOSKELETAL & SKIN DISEASES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/10/2023
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/31/2028

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Development of Injectable Super-Lubricious Microgels for Sustained Release of Platelet-Rich Plasma to Treat Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis - Project summary Post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) is a painful, debilitating and expensive joint disease that conservatively impacts 5.6 million people at any time in the United States. Currently available clinical treatments are mostly palliative and fail to suppress cartilage degeneration or synovial inflammation or to promote tissue regeneration. Consequently, osteoarthritis progresses to an end-stage disease where total joint replacement is the only answer. Our aim is to provide an injectable solution for the treatment of PTOA, through the fabrication of super- lubricious microspheres loaded with platelet-rich plasma (PRP), which is blood plasma that has been spun down to concentrate the platelet component. These platelets contain more than 300 bioactive molecules that play critical roles in controlling and resolving inflammation, while also stimulating cells within the joint to proliferate and regenerate tissues such as articular cartilage. Unfortunately, direct injection of PRP into the knee joint has shown inconsistent efficacy in the clinic, mainly because the harsh environment within the osteoarthritic knee rapidly breaks down and destroys the bioactive molecules rendering them useless for therapeutic effect. Therefore, we propose to fabricate lubricious injectable polyethylene glycol (PEG) microspheres for injection into the intra-articular knee space that cannot be cleared by the body with the synovial fluid turnover. We will evaluate the incorporation and release as well as bioactivity and immunotoxicity of PRP from the hydrogel system, through both quantification of specific proteins released over time and in vitro cellular response studies, respectively. Finally, PRP-loaded microspheres will be used in a mouse model of knee injury and osteoarthritis to determine the ability for our system to i) modify the intracapsular inflammatory state, ii) stop cartilage degeneration, iii) promote new cartilage formation and, iii) restore joint homeostasis.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $429,730 )
2026	2026	SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY	221 N GRAND BLVD	SAINT LOUIS	MO	63103	SAINT LOUIS CITY	USA	Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research	000	4	4/13/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$429,730
														Subtotal = $429,730

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $478,467 )
2025	2025	SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY	221 N GRAND BLVD	SAINT LOUIS	MO	63103	SAINT LOUIS CITY	USA	Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research	001	3	5/8/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$34,528
2025	2025	SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY	221 N GRAND BLVD	SAINT LOUIS	MO	63103	SAINT LOUIS CITY	USA	Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research	000	3	4/15/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$443,939
														Subtotal = $478,467

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $556,406 )
2024	2024	SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY	221 N GRAND BLVD	SAINT LOUIS	MO	63103	SAINT LOUIS CITY	USA	Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research	000	2	3/28/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$516,254
2024	2024	SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY	221 N GRAND BLVD	SAINT LOUIS	MO	63103	SAINT LOUIS CITY	USA	Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research	001	2	6/11/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$40,152
														Subtotal = $556,406

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $584,769 )
2023	2023	SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY	221 N GRAND BLVD	SAINT LOUIS	MO	63103	SAINT LOUIS CITY	USA	Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research	000	1	5/9/2023	NEW	$584,769
														Subtotal = $584,769

Grand Total All Awards = $2,049,372

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Development of Injectable Super-Lubricious Microgels for Sustained Release of Platelet-Rich Plasma to Treat Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis

Award Number: R01AR081270

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTHRITIS & MUSCULOSKELETAL & SKIN DISEASES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/10/2023

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/31/2028

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