RESTORE

User-centred smart nanobiomaterial-based 3D matrices for chondral repair

02

CHON
DRAL
LESI
ONS

Chondral lesions constitute one of the major extrinsic risk factors for Osteoarthritis (OA), leading to important societal and economic burden. OA is a highly prevalent condition that can result in disabling pain and loss of physical function. Furthermore, increased competitiveness in sports activities increases the incidence of chondral injuries in athletes, which in turn propels the demand for cartilage repair products.

Cartilage Diagnostics

Mild
Lesion

Severe Lesion

Current Options

03

OUR
SOLU
TIONS

RESTORE’s goal is to develop and validate in pre-clinical animal models, nanoenabled solutions for personalised cartilage regeneration. Different strategies will be undertaken to overcome the current challenges and unmet clinical necessities in order to design the most efficient solution towards cartilage repair. RESTORE shall have long-range benefits, holding high commercial promise for industries, creating new reliable and reproducible data for regulatory bodies, yearning to meet the need of orthopaedic surgeons in order to assure patients wellbeing and active ageing.

Nanocarriers for Cartilage Repair

RESTORE is building tailored nanocarriers based on polymeric nanobiomaterials, designed to modulate undesirable biological events (inflammation, proteolytic degradation, and bacterial infection), and remotely stimuli-responsive nanobiomaterials to enhance cartilage repair.

Stimuli-Responsive Nano
biomaterial

RESTORE will explore stimuli-responsive nanobiomaterial to enhance cartilage repair via remote stimulation and integrate them in COPLA® Scaffold and to the bioink used for 3D bioprinting of human cartilage microtissues.

Nano
enabled 3D matrices

RESTORE will create smart 3D matrices for mild and severe chondral lesions, designed to adjust to the defect dimensions and biomechanical load. This will be accomplished byin a two-front strategy: (1) 3D cartilage microtissues engineered via 3D bioprinting, and (2) COPLA® Scaffold (severe lesions) already present in the animal health market. These 3D matrices will integrate nanocarriers and stimuli-responsive nanobiomaterials.

Cartilage 3D bioprinting technology

RESTORE is optimizing Bioprinting technologies of human cartilage, creating a bridge between the clinical interests and industrial key players. RESTORE smart 3D matrices will be designed to adjust to defect dimensions and biomechanical load on chondral lesions through a two-front strategy.

Portable/ wireless device

RESTORE will develop a non-invasive and wearable medical device capable of activating smart nanobiomaterials allowing remote stimulation and monitoring knee cartilage repair.

Database
of condyle models

RESTORE will provide accurate 3D models (computer models as well as 3D printed models) of different chondral lesions and the surrounding bone and soft tissue that can be used to develop, design, test and validate 3D printed microtissues that can fit patient specific lesions.

Regulatory aspects of smart nano
biomaterials

RESTORE shall address the complex regulatory issues and access nanobiomaterials toxicity impact on human health.

04

WHO
WE
ARE

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

RESTORE

The RESTORE Project is built upon constructive discussions between orthopaedic surgeons, tissue-engineers, material scientists, cell biologists, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to co-design an effective approach to manage the specific unmet clinical needs to treat knee chondral lesions. Ten partners from seven countries (Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Finland), including Research and Technological Development institutes and two small-medium sized enterprises.