Dr. Alex Meninger begins NOVOCART 3D vs. microfracture trial for knee articular cartilage defects
Alexander Meininger, MD, of Steamboat Orthopaedic Associates, has begun recruiting patients for a Phase III FDA interventional study titled “Safety and Effectiveness Study to Evaluate NOVOCART 3D Compared to Microfracture to Treat Articular Cartilage Defects of the Knee.”
The trial, in coordination with Aesculap Biologics, will see Dr. Meininger’s site join RUSH and Mass General among others nationwide with the aim at developing and validating markers for the quality and efficiency of the NOVOCART 3D product, which has been successful in Europe and is trying to obtain a general market authorization in the United States.
The patients will receive one of the therapeutic procedures in the study. The treatment procedure will use a previously specified random process. The probability of the patient being given one of the two treatments is 2:1 with each patient being involved in the study for up to five years.