Orthocell, J&J’s DePuy Synthes ink R&D deal for stem cell treatment

Orthocell (ASX:OCC) said today that it landed a research collaboration deal with Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) subsidiary DePuy Synthes for its Ortho-ATI stem cell regenerative therapy.

The 2 groups are planning a collaborative study for the 1st quarter in 2017, led by Allan Wang from the University of Western Australia. In previous studies, Ortho-ATI has proven to be a durable non-surgical solution for tendon injuries that are difficult to treat, according to Orthocell. Ortho-ATI delivers cultured tendon stem cells from the patient’s healthy tendon to the patient’s damaged tendon tissue.

“This is a very exciting partnership in the continued development of Ortho-ATI and provides significant external validation of this globally relevant technology,” managing director Paul Anderson said in prepared remarks.

Ortho-ATI is available in Australia and New Zealand for patients who have failed conservative treatment options for tendinopathy, including corticosteroid injections and exercise programs.

In October, Orthocell won ethics approval for a human study evaluating its CelGro collagen soft tissue repair device for peripheral nerve regeneration. The Perth, Australia-based company’s device functions as a scaffold for orthopedic and reconstructive surgical procedures. Researchers are also studying the device’s ability to augment repair of the rotator cuff tendon, to promote bone regeneration, and guide cartilage repair in the hip joint, Orthocell said.

This week, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) said it will issue a report next month that will detail how much it has raised the list prices for its prescription drugs. The report will describe average increases in list prices and the average prices after discounts.

The move comes after some pharmaceutical companies, including Allergan (NYSE:AGN) and Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO), have pledged to keep their annual price increases to single-digit percentages. When Allergan published its “social contract” in September, CEO Brent Saunders challenged other companies to limit price increases “before we all face the impact of government regulation that stifles innovation and patient care.”