IMPACT

At IMPACT, they create a one-step cell therapy for cartilage defects, that lasts for life. Their therapy combines patient-derived chondrons with off-the-shelf allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), enabling regenerative treatment in a single surgery. This reduces both patient burden and hospital costs compared to current cell therapies. The leading competitor, autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), requires two surgeries and an in between patient-specific expansion phase of the cartilage cells. Other alternatives like metal, polymer, or hydrogel prosthetics offer only temporary relief, have a limited life-span and do not mimic cartilage biomechanics, often resulting in further tissue damage.

IMPACT’s therapy stimulates the patient’s own cartilage to regenerate, providing a durable and regenerative solution. Safety and efficacy have been demonstrated in 89 patients, including 35 patients with ten-year follow-up. These results were achieved using manually produced therapy cell therapy in two clinical trials. They scale this treatment by developing a patentable, automated, point-of-care device for manufacturing of the cartilage cell therapy. Surgeons load patient derived cartilage tissue into the device, which processes it into the finished end-product. The cell therapy is prepared and delivered in a syringe, ready for immediate use. The full process takes under two hours, turning complex cell therapy into a practical, single-step procedure available to every surgeon worldwide.

Their leadership brings over 50 years of combined experience in cartilage repair, cell therapy, aseptic device development, and business strategy. Their CEO (Jasmijn Korpershoek, MD, PhD) led investigations to the mechanism of action of the therapy and our second clinical trial, both at the UMC Utrecht. Jasmijn is supported by a strong team including Lucienne Vonk, PhD, who led the first trial and has previously guided regulatory approval of a competitor cell therapy, and of orthopaedic key opinion leaders (Prof. Daniel Saris, MD, PhD, Mayo Clinic and Roel Custers, MD, PhD, UMC Utrecht).