our platform
emulating the natural conditions for tissue development
01
Our platform has a few ways to obtain stem cells. We can either leverage the immune privilege of cartilage to use retrieved stem cells from a cell bank, or extract adult stem cells from fat tissue for our personalized bone product. In that case, we then take a CT scan of the patient to determine the exact 3D size and shape you need.
stem cell extraction
02
Next, we design and build a custom bioreactor that will incubate the new bone and cartilage as it grows. Meanwhile, we nourish the stem cells such that they multiply and start becoming cells of the proper tissue.
bioreactor design
03
Our bioreactors provide controlled delivery of oxygen, nutrients and mechanical loading (like “diet and exercise”) that nurture the cells into mature tissue. After 3 weeks of culture for bone, and 4 weeks for cartilage, the grafts are ready for implantation.
tissue growth
OUR Pipeline
bone: eb-cmf
tissue-engineered autologous bone graft
Our facial bone product is indicated for craniofacial defects resulting from trauma, congenital defect or degenerative bone disease. It is customized for patients via a CT scan so that precise anatomical shape can be cultivated, and with stem cells extracted from patients’ abdominal fat. We’ve completed a Ph I/IIa clinical trial for this product in 2023.
joint: eb-0c
tissue-engineered osteochondral autograft
Our EB-OC product is an allogenic, tissue-engineered osteochondral plug for treating high-grade cartilage lesions in healthy joints. It’s composed of condensed mesenchymal cells from donor bone marrow, encapsulated in hydrogel, and cultivated on a bone scaffold in a bioreactor. Cyclical mechanical loading and perfusion optimize tissue development. The bone layer anchors the plug, eliminating the need for hardware. We’ve successfully tested it in horses, and the FDA approved our IND for a Phase I/IIb trial with 36 patients.
cartilage: eb-iac
injectable cartilage filler
Our EB-iAC product is an allogenic, injectable cartilage product for treating low-grade cartilage lesions that don't involve underlying bone. Stem cells from a cell bank are processed into condensed mesenchymal cells primed for cartilage formation. The cells are combined with a hydrogel carrier and delivered to the patient. The capability to store product components for up to 2 years ensures flexibility and convenience in scheduling treatment procedures.
our BIOREACTORs
The technology at the heart of EpiBone is the bioreactor. Its task is essential and delicate: to mimic the finely calibrated conditions in the human body that enable bone and cartilage to grow. Strong, living tissue can only form where the nourishment, temperature, movement, and pressure are just right. Our proprietary bioreactor technology is the product of 20 years of fundamental research and experience with orthopedic tissue engineering. Research has shown that cultivating human stem cells in an osteogenic scaffold in a bioreactor supports critical outcomes, including cell survival, differentiation, and maturation. This approach also restricts the development of unwanted cell lines. Tissue that grows in a well designed bioreactor is ready to continue remodeling and vascularization once it is transplanted into a patient. In the EpiBone bioreactor, we can grow new, personalized bone and cartilage in just three to four weeks.
