Cartilage Repair Market Trends

Cartilage Repair Market Drivers 

Increase in Joint Injuries 

• The most common patients requiring knee cartilage repair surgery are young people who have suffered injuries in the knee joint, such as meniscal or ligament tears. Damaged cartilage is repaired using methods that include cell-based cartilage resurfacing and autologous chondrocyte implantation to hasten the formation of new cartilage in joints. It delays and prevents the occurrence of arthritis, which also greatly reduces joint pain and increases joint flexibility through repairing and replacing the cartilage. 

Rising Number of Patients with Osteoarthritis 

• Osteoarthritis has become a very common disease in the last few years across the globe. According to University of North Carolina statistics, 1 million knee and hip replacement procedures are performed annually in the US. Osteoarthritis costs the US economy $136.8 billion yearly. The Arthritis Foundation projects that by 2050, degenerative joint diseases, including osteoarthritis, will affect more than 130 million people worldwide. The most common treatments for osteoarthritis are autologous chondrocyte implantation and scaffold implants. This would therefore increase the demand for products that aid in cartilage regeneration and repair as the cases of osteoarthritis rose. 

Cartilage Repair Market Restraints 

Expensive Health Care 

• One notable obstacle to their widespread use is the expense of cartilage repair treatments, whether cell-based or non-cell-based. Cell-based therapies are especially expensive given the prolonged periods of recovery time involved, the patient-specific preparation, and the highly technical nature of laboratory procedures. Such high costs for treatment could thus lead to limited availability, particularly among those individuals without sufficient insurance coverage or residing in developing nations. For this reason, many patients might resort to cheaper alternatives that are not nearly as effective. 

Strict Regulatory Approval Process 

• Products using cartilage regeneration treatments, such as cell-based therapies, will expect to have a drawn-out and arduous route through the regulatory approval process. Strict guidelines on issues of safety and efficacy by regulatory bodies such as the FDA may delay the launch of novel therapies. The stringent requirements for sound clinical evidence along with challenges during the approval process can confront manufacturers and may discourage R&D investments, which otherwise hinder innovation in the cartilage repair industry.