Orthocell Commences Treatment of Its 1,000th Patient

• Orthocell commences treatment of its 1,000th patient from its TGA licensed facility
• Underpins the extensive clinical validation of Orthocell’s revenue-stage Ortho-ATI® and Ortho-ACI® therapies for the repair and regeneration of human tendon and cartilage
• De-risks and supports ongoing commercialisation plans assisting the pathway into the US, the world’s largest healthcare market
• Orthocell’s cell therapies for tendon and cartilage repair are breakthrough products, and are available in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore
• Ortho-ATI® enabled former Olympic swimmer, Christian Sprenger, to resume normal daily activities and return to competitive swimming at an elite level

Regenerative medicine company Orthocell Limited (ASX:OCC, “Orthocell” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has commenced treatment of its 1,000th patient, in its TGA licensed manufacturing facility using the Company’s proprietary tissue engineering process, developed in conjunction with Professor Minghao Zheng and the University of Western Australia. This marks a significant milestone in the Company’s history as it continues to clinically validate its market leading regenerative medicine technologies and drive entry into the US, the world’s largest healthcare market.

Orthocell’s Managing Director Paul Anderson commented: “This is a significant milestone in the development of Orthocell’s cell therapies, providing strong clinical data and in-market validation of the safety and effectiveness of our technologies for the repair and regeneration of soft tissue. This achievement is expected to support ongoing global commercialisation efforts.”

Orthocell’s Ortho-ATI® and Ortho-ACI® for tendon and cartilage repair are breakthrough technologies addressing the underlying pathology of tendon and cartilage injuries. The treatments accelerate the regeneration of injured tendons and cartilage and allows patients to return to recreational activities, the workplace and competitive sports. Christian Sprenger, a former Australian Olympic swimmer, who sustained a severe shoulder injury in 2014, was only able to compete at an elite level again after receiving Orthocell’s Ortho-ATI® treatment.

“I am 100% happy with the Ortho-ATI® treatment, it’s the only thing that enabled me to get back to doing normal daily activities. It definitely helped me, I can do everything now that I want to do with full function and without pain. Following Ortho-ATI®, I was able to return to swimming at an international level,” said Christian Sprenger.

Orthocell’s published clinical data and annual patient satisfaction surveys conducted to date have shown reduction in symptoms, return to function and high levels of patient satisfaction. Orthocell’s cell therapies for tendon and cartilage repair are available in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore.

About Ortho-ATI®:

Ortho-ATI® is a world leading breakthrough in regenerative medicine – a novel, cell therapy developed to treat chronic degenerative tendon injuries (tendinopathy / tendonitis), it can be utilised in both surgical and non-surgical applications.

• Tendon injury and its end point, tendinopathy, are a common cause of occupational and sporting disability reported to affect 1% to 3% of the general population every year
• Significant financial burden to the public health care system expected to increase as the population ages, as a result, new treatments are required that are safe, effective and cost efficient
• Ortho-ATI® meets the market need by enabling the accelerated regeneration of injured tendons, directly addressing the underlying cause of injury, replenishing degenerative tissue with healthy mature tendon cells (known as tenocytes)
• Extensive clinical validation with published clinical data up to 4.5 years post treatment in leading peer reviewed journals, (e.g. American Journal Sports Medicine) clearly demonstrating durability and efficacy as the leading tendon regeneration treatment

About Ortho-ACI®:

Ortho-ACI® is the gold standard intervention for symptomatic defects of the articulating cartilage of the joints, predominately the knee and ankle.

• Damage to articular cartilage can occur through injury or normal wear and tear affecting activities of daily living and exercise. These defects present a difficult clinical problem and if left untreated can lead to osteoarthritis
• Ortho-ACI® provides the opportunity for the body to regenerate its own cartilage and provides a functional and durable outcome
• Ortho-ACI® is positioned as the highest quality cartilage repair product available today with superior cost effectiveness when compared to alternatives
• Extensive clinical validation in peer reviewed journals supporting autologous cell therapies for cartilage repair

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171206006396/en/

General enquiriesOrthocell LimitedPaul Anderson, [phone]Managing [e-mail] and Media enquiriesWE BuchanBen Walsh, + 61 411 520 [e-mail]