ASCOT Trial
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Study Title: Autologous Stem Cells, Chondrocytes Or the Two? (ASCOT)
Location: Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Oswestry, Shropshire.
Scientific Title: Autologous cell therapy for osteoarthritis: An evaluation of the safety and efficacy of autologous transplantation of articular chondrocytes and/or bone marrow-derived stromal cells to repair chondral/osteochondral lesions of the knee.
Study Progress
January 2020 - We have enrolled 99 of our target of 114 participants to date. This study has now closed and we are in the process of long term follow up of these patients..
Information for patients
Background
Cell therapy is successfully used to repair damaged joint cartilage, but it is not yet known which type of cells would do this best. Patients in the UK with localised cartilage damage can be treated with cells (chondrocytes) grown from small samples of their own cartilage. This treatment has been successfully used for many years worldwide. Similar procedures using stem cells instead of cartilage cells have been used in Japan.
Stem cells have the potential to develop into many different cell types that carry out different functions. The bone marrow contains a population of such cells known as bone marrow-derived stromal cells (BMSCs) which can develop into either bone or cartilage, and have the capacity to repair damaged or diseased tissues.
The ASCOT trial aimed to see if BMSCs will be able to repair the damage to joints better than cartilage cells, or if a combination of BMSCs and cartilage cells is better.
The study started in January 2014 and was enrolling patients for approximately 6 years. The study took place at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Oswestry, Shropshire.
How do I get more information?
You can also find more information on this study on the Current Controlled Trials website at: http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN98997175