MTF Biologics Introduces CartiMax Viable Cartilage Allograft

MTF Biologics is expanding its portfolio of orthopedic innovations with the launch of a pioneering putty-like cartilage allograft designed to easily fill lesions in the knee, foot and ankle: CartiMax Viable Cartilage Allograft. An off-the-shelf solution, CartiMax demonstrates stable viability up to one year post-cryopreservation and offers the clinical benefits of, viable cartilage matrix with live cells. 
 
“CartiMax is the result of years of development and collaboration between MTF Biologics and surgeons and partners across the nation,” said Joe Yaccarino, president and CEO of MTF Biologics. “Surgeons have not had many options to easily fill cartilage defects, and CartiMax will provide an ideal option that they’ve been looking for. Its texture and malleability allow it to fill a defect of varying shapes and sizes, and its one-year shelf life offers a lot of flexibility. We are proud to bring this innovation to orthopedic surgeons and their patients.”  
 
CartiMax is easy-to-use and versatile, with a unique putty-like design that allows surgeons to mold and fill up to a 5 cm² lesion without the need for templates or anchors. It can be used in a variety of knee, foot and ankle procedures. 
 
“CartiMax is truly a groundbreaking innovation,” said Deryk Jones, M.D. “There’s nothing else like it available today. Its unique consistency and viable cartilage matrix allow the allograft to be directly molded into a lesion, saving time in the operating room, which is better for surgeons and patients, and eliminates the need for two-stage procedures, helping patients get back on their feet to return to normal activity more quickly.”
 
CartiMax’s benefits include: 
 

• Viable Chondrocytes—Provides functioning, viable chondrocytes and an extracellular matrix that contains the necessary building blocks for cartilage repair such as type II collagen, proteoglycans and endogenous growth factors.
• Extended Shelf Life—Demonstrates stable viability up to one-year post-cryopreservation.
• High Volume of Material—Provides sufficient material to fill up to a 5cm2 lesion.
• Optimal Handling Properties and Fewer Steps—Requires fewer preparation steps and saves time with putty-like consistency that easily conforms to defects of different shapes and sizes, eliminating the need for measuring, templates, trimming, gluing or suturing. 

 
“I love CartiMax. It’s a great off-the-shelf cell-based cartilage restoration solution that is so easy to use,” said Brett Owens, M.D., a board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic sports medicine surgeon. “And with a shelf-life of up to a year, it allows for surgeons to efficiently schedule patients without the need for a waiting list.” 
 
CartiMax has been featured in three pre-clinical studies: “Cellular Characterization of CartiMax,” “CartiMax Retention in a Cadaver Knee Model,” and “Viability Characterization of CartiMax.” 
 
MTF Biologics, also known as the Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation, is a nonprofit organization based in Edison, N.J. It is a consortium comprised of organ procurement organizations, tissue recovery organizations, and academic medical institutions, and governed by a board of surgeons who are leading experts in tissue transplantation. As the world’s largest tissue bank, MTF Biologics saves and heals lives by honoring donated gifts, serving patients and advancing science. Since its inception in 1987, the organization has received tissue from more than 132,000 donors and distributed more than 8.6 million grafts for transplantation. Through its IIAM subsidiary, it has placed more than 58,000 non-transplantable organs for research. Through its Statline subsidiary, it has managed more than 11.3 million donor referrals.