Cipla, Stempeutics launch stem cell therapy for knee osteoarthritis

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Cipla Limited, in partnership with Stempeutics Research, today announced a major foray into orthobiologic medicine with the launch of Ciplostem, an innovative allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapy for knee osteoarthritis (knee OA).

 

Allogeneic means belonging to or obtained from a different individual of the same species, which implies that this is not customised or patient-specific stem cell therapy, and can be administered off the shelf.

 

Approved by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), the treatment offers to slow disease progression and promote cartilage maintenance for patients with Grade II and III knee OA. The launch addresses a critical unmet need in India, where knee OA affects over 48.4 million people and is increasingly prevalent across all age groups. Current standard treatments, such as painkillers and physiotherapy, primarily offer short-term symptomatic relief, failing to target the underlying, progressive degeneration of the joint.

 

Ciplostem is administered as a single-dose, intra-articular injection containing 25 million cultured adult human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs), co-administered with hyaluronic acid. The therapy works at a cellular level to reduce inflammation and pain, enhance joint function, and help preserve cartilage quality.

 

BN Manohar, MD and CEO of Stempeutics Research, highlighted the robust development behind the product. “Ciplostem sets a new benchmark in regenerative medicine, reflecting years of dedicated research and robust Phase 3 evidence. We are pleased to partner with Cipla to extend the reach of this stem cell therapy in India, transforming scientific innovation into tangible patient impact.”