Regenerative therapy for the intervertebral disc

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Intervertebral disc-related low back pain is one of the most significant orthopaedic disorders in industrialized society, costing the U.S. economy some $50-100 billion annually, with comparable per capita costs to the Canadian economy. Despite the economic burden of intervertebral disc (IVD) disease, few options are available to patients. Pharmacotherapies and physical therapy treat the symptoms without treating the underlying condition, while surgical intervention has a 40% failure rate and is not practical in a significant portion of patients. Therefore new therapies are required. Regenerative medicine holds considerable promise for slowing or reversing degenerative conditions by bolstering the body's own regenerative capacity. In general, regenerative medicine systems use a combination of cells, materials, and exogenous stimuli to deliver a therapeutic package to the tissue. In this proposal, we will assemble a multidisciplinary team with expertise in stem cells, biomaterials, exogenous stimuli, and surgical methods to investigate the potential of using mesenchymal stem cells to treat IVD degeneration. Rather than develop a single implantable material, we will use our multidisciplinary approach to develop the building blocks of a complete therapeutic system, including cell expansion and preparation, biomaterial development, ex vivo and in vivo models, and surgical delivery techniques in 3 parallel, interconnected Specific Aims.