Biologics News

Researchers found the posterior iliac crest is superior to the anterior iliac crest regarding concentration and yield for colony-founding connective-tissue progenitors, according to results of this study.

The FDA has cleared Abyrx’s new Absorbable Hemostatic Bone Putty for clinical use in the United Stated, expanding the company’s surgical hemostat product offerings.

Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2, or rhBMP-2, is no more effective than bone graft for spine fusion and can cause potential harm to patients, based on the findings of an independent analysis conducted at the Evidence-based Practice Center at Oregon Health & Science University, in Portland, Ore. The reviewers found reporting bias in early studies of rhBMP-2 financed by Medtronic, in Memphis, Tenn., which manufactures the device.

RTI Biologics Inc announced its intent to acquire privately held Pioneer Surgical Technology to expand its current implant portfolio into metals and synthetics and to gross direct distribution.

Japanese researchers seeking to validate the Assessment of Rheumatoid Arthritis by Systemic Histological and radiological Imaging, or ARASHI method of evaluating joint damage by radiograph, found the method is effective in the assessment of progressive joint damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis undergoing anti-tumor necrosis factor A therapy.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recently released a revised version of its clinical practice guideline for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, which included changes regarding the use of intra-articular hyaluronic acid and acetaminophen.

Patients assigned statins for at least 90 days were more likely to develop musculoskeletal conditions, injuries and related pain compared with those who did not use statins, according to findings in a new report.

The use of platelet-rich plasma remains controversial as treatment regimens and formula concentrations are not standardized, high-level studies proving efficacy are few and many health care systems worldwide hesitate to adopt the treatment due to lack of reimbursement.

The management of osteoarthritis in the young and active population is one of the most difficult clinical problems faced by orthopedists and sports medicine physicians today. The use of biological adjuncts, such as hyaluronic acid and platelet-rich plasma, have become popular as a noninvasive management strategy for osteoarthritis. However, clinical data supporting their efficacy remain elusive. As physicians and researchers, we must be critical of ourselves by following our patients carefully and performing the necessary research to determine the appropriate indications for using these treatments. In this regard, investigators should report both positive and negative results, and positive results should be independently verified in the absence of industry or marketing bias.

Serving as a bridge between genotype and phenotype, epigenetics was first coined by Conrad Waddington as “the branch of biology which studies the causal interactions between genes and their products, which bring the phenotype into being.” Epigenetics today is more specifically defined as the “stable, heritable, but potentially reversible modifications of gene expression that does not involve mutations in the DNA sequence.” Epigenetics has shifted our comprehension of inheritance in recognizing the fact that phenotype is not simply the result of preset genetics, and the environment is a key player in expression of inherited genes. We recall the story of how Jean-Baptiste Lamarck was ostracized and ridiculed for his theory of the inheritance of acquired characteristics, namely that giraffes developed a long neck to reach higher branches in years of draught. It turns out, Lamarck was right after all.