BioMimetic Therapeutics Presents Promising Pre-Clinical Sports Medicine Data At The 2010 ORS Meeting

Main Category: Sports Medicine / Fitness
Also Included In: Clinical Trials / Drug Trials
Article Date: 11 Mar 2010 - 0:00 PST

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BioMimetic Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: BMTI) announced pre-clinical data the Company will present at 1:15 CST today at the 2010 Orthopedic Research Society (ORS) meeting in New Orleans. The Company's sports medicine team will present results of two pre-clinical studies demonstrating that rhPDGF-BB, in combination with tissue specific matrix materials, promotes healing in tendon-tendon and tendon-bone injuries. In addition, in vitro data demonstrating rhPDGF-BB's ability to stimulate tenocytes (tendon cells) will also be presented.

The effects of rhPDGF-BB on tendon-tendon and tendon-bone repair were evaluated in sheep in collaboration with investigators from Colorado State University. For tendon-tendon repair, an acute Achilles transection model was utilized combining rhPDGF-BB with a flowable collagen matrix. This combination improved the biomechanical properties of the repair tissue, as measured by a 57% increase in the load at which the repaired tendon failed, and no safety issues were reported. In a tendon-bone model of rotator cuff repair, rhPDGF-BB was combined with a collagen mesh and demonstrated a significant 63% increase in the load at failure of the repair as compared to fixation alone. Histological outcomes in both studies were supportive of the biomechanical enhancement, which further demonstrate rhPDGF-BB's ability to positively influence the tendon healing.

In a third study, conducted by Dr. Lew Schon, professor of orthopedic surgery at Johns Hopkins and director of foot and ankle at Baltimore's Union Memorial Hospital, Dr. Schon demonstrated that both normal and diseased tenocytes respond favorably to rhPDGF-BB. Tenocytes are cells responsible, in large part, for generating the healing response within tendons. These cells were harvested from consenting clinical patients and then exposed to rhPDGF-BB. Cells from both healthy and diseased tendons increased in number and improved their ability to migrate. These results suggest that tenocytes respond to rhPDGF-BB in a clinically favorable manner.

"We believe these results, as well as the excellent safety profile of rhPDGF-BB, provide strong support for initiating clinical trials of rhPDGF-BB in sports medicine applications," said Dr. Samuel Lynch president and CEO of BioMimetic Therapeutics. "Tendons heal slowly and often poorly. Currently, there are limited treatment options to promote healing and alleviate pain from acute and chronic tendon injuries. These preclinical data reported in sports medicine, combined with the recently reported positive results from the Augment pivotal trial in foot and ankle fusions, provide further support for the safety and effectiveness of BioMimetic's rhPDGF-BB platform technology. Furthermore, the positive data reported in sports medicine and bone healing applications continue to demonstrate the broad market potential for BioMimetic's rhPDGF-BB technology platform in the field of orthopedic tissue regeneration."

Dr. Joshua S. Dines, BioMimetic research collaborator and orthopedic surgeon, sports medicine and shoulder service at The Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, will also present the newly released pre-clinical data at BioMimetic's Annual Investor and Analyst Meeting on Thursday, March 11, 2010 at 5:00 p.m. CST. The meeting will take place at the Windsor Court Hotel New Orleans in La Chinoiserie B. Please contact BioMimetic's corporate communications department to RSVP for the meeting.

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BioMimetic Therapeutics