“Cellular matrix™ PRP-HA”: A new treatment option with platelet-rich plasma and hyaluronic acid for patients with osteoarthritis having had an unsatisfactory clinical response to hyaluronic acid alone: Results of a pilot, multicenter French study with long-term follow-up

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of Cellular Matrix™, a new medical device designed for one-step preparation of platelet-rich plasma in presence of hyaluronic acid, for the management of tibiofemoral knee osteoarthritis in patients who had failed to respond adequately to previous treatment with hyaluronic acid alone. Methods: Multicentre, open-label, uncontrolled, pilot study in 77 patients with grade II or III knee osteoarthritis and a pain at walking score between 3 and 8 on a Numeric Rating Scale. The treatment consisted of a series of 3 intra-articular injections scheduled at D0, D60 and D180 into the affected knee of a combination of platelet-rich plasma and hyaluronic acid prepared with the device Cellular Matrix. The primary efficacy criterion was the variation of pain at walking, as assessed with the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (A1 score) between baseline and D270. Results: Treatment with the combination of platelet-rich plasma and hyaluronic acid prepared with Cellular Matrix significantly reduced pain at walking between baseline and D270. The percentage of responders according to the criteria of the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Clinical Trial and Osteoarthritis Research Society International was 94.4%. The treatment provided long-lasting benefits for half of the patients and allowed avoiding surgery for almost 80% of them at four years. Conclusion: A 3-injection course of a combination of platelet-rich plasma and hyaluronic acid prepared with Cellular Matrix was well tolerated and effective in the long-term to relieve pain associated with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.