Recruiting
Phase 3

MACI

Sponsor:

Vericel Corporation

Code:

NCT03588975

Conditions

Chondral Defect

Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD)

Articular Cartilage Defect

Articular Cartilage Disorder of Knee

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 10 - 17

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

MACI

microfracture

Study Details

Brief summary:

The objective of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of MACI® vs arthroscopic microfracture in the treatment of participants aged 10 to 17 years with symptomatic articular chondral or osteochondral defects of the knee.

Conditions

Chondral Defect

Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD)

Articular Cartilage Defect

Articular Cartilage Disorder of Knee

Study ID

NCT03588975

Start date

Oct 24, 2018

Status verified date

Jun, 2026

Completion date

Feb, 2030

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Feb, 2030

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 10 - 17

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Symptomatic cartilage or osteochondral defects
  • One or more International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) Grade III or IV chondral or unsalvageable osteochondral defects located on the femoral condyles and/or trochlea amenable to treatment with the surgical procedure determined at randomization (MACI or microfracture).

1. Concurrent ICRS Grade I and II defects are acceptable on the tibia if they remain untreated (or are treated with debridement only) at the time of study treatment.
2. Participants with a potentially re-attachable osteochondral fragment, identified by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and that has not previously been repaired, may be consented to the study and undergo baseline assessments per protocol and prior to confirmatory arthroscopy (Visit 2). At arthroscopy, an attempt will be made to reattach the osteochondral fragment. If this is successful, the participant will be excluded from the study and deemed an intra-operative screen failure. If the attempted reattachment fails and no other exclusion criteria apply, the participant may continue in the PEAK study: a MACI biopsy will be taken, the participant will be randomized and treated per protocol.
  • At least 1 defect size ≥1.5 cm2 on the patella, femoral condyles and/or the trochlea; defects include OCD lesions with a bone lesion depth of ≤6 mm and does not require a bone graft.
  • Salvageable OCD lesions must have failed prior conservative and a reparative treatment, and the participant still experiences pain associated with the osteochondral lesion. Participants with defects as a result of trauma or unknown etiology are eligible regardless of prior treatments.
  • Stable target knee (i.e., anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments should be free of laxity as well as stable and intact). Ligament repair or reconstruction procedures are allowed prior to screening arthroscopy.
  • Intact meniscus or partial meniscus (at least 50% of functional meniscus remaining) in the target knee. Meniscal repair or resection might be performed either staged or concurrent with the cartilage repair procedure provided that the surgeon was able to confirm that at least 50% of functional meniscus would remain after the corrective meniscal treatment.
  • Written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Any surgery on the target knee joint within 6 months prior to Screening (not including diagnostic arthroscopy)
  • Previous investigational drug or device use within 3 months prior to Screening
  • Avascular necrosis of the target knee (other than potential OCD lesion to be treated)
  • Participants with uninvolved open growth plates where the surgery necessitates crossing the growth plate, or where the depth of the lesion crosses the growth plate
  • ICRS Grade III or IV chondral or unsalvageable osteochondral defects located on the tibia or any lesion that is bipolar to the index lesion
  • Malalignment requiring concurrent osteotomy to correct tibial-femoral or patella-femoral alignment (prior guided growth treatment is not exclusionary)
  • Symptomatic musculoskeletal conditions in the lower limbs that could impede measurement of efficacy for the target knee joint
  • Concomitant inflammatory disease or other conditions that affects the joints (eg, rheumatoid arthritis, metabolic bone disease, psoriasis, symptomatic chondrocalcinosis)
  • Known history of septic arthritis in the index knee joint
  • Current malignancy or treatment for malignancy within the past 5 years
  • Known history of hypersensitivity to gentamicin, other aminoglycosides, or products of porcine or bovine origin
  • Females who are pregnant or lactating
  • Participants who, in the opinion of the Investigator, have significant medical or psychosocial problems that warrant exclusion. Examples of significant problems included but are not limited to:

  • Any condition that has potential for negatively impacting intra or postoperative course
  • Conditions that limit compliance with rehabilitation program
  • Any condition that has potential for significantly limiting participant's ability to assess postoperative knee function
  • Any condition, psychiatric or otherwise, that would preclude informed consent/assent, consistent follow-up, or compliance with any aspect of the study
  • Participant is currently abusing drugs or alcohol or, in the opinion of the Investigator, at high risk for poor compliance

Study Design

Enrollment

45 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: MACI

autologous cultured chondrocytes on porcine collagen membrane

other: microfracture

surgical procedure

Interventions

MACI

autologous cultured chondrocytes on porcine collagen membrane

microfracture

Arthroscopic microfracture treatment

Primary outcome measure

  • Proportion of Participants Who Achieve ≥ 10-point Improvement From Baseline in KOOS-Child Pain and Function (Sports and Recreational Activities) Subscale Scores [ Time Frame: Baseline and Week 104 ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Locations

Stanford University

Recruiting

Palo Alto, California, United States, 94304

Shriner's Hospital for Children Northern California

Recruiting

Sacramento, California, United States, 95817

University of California Davis Health

Recruiting

Sacramento, California, United States, 95817

Ochsner Sports Medicine Institute

Recruiting

New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, 70121

Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center

Recruiting

Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21224

University of Michigan

Recruiting

Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48106

Akron Children's Hospital

Recruiting

Akron, Ohio, United States, 44308

The Ohio State University Jameson Crane Sports Medicine Institute

Recruiting

Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43202

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Recruiting

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104

Penn Sports Medicine Center

Recruiting

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104

Medical College of Wisconsin

Recruiting

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, 53201

More Information

Sponsor

Vericel Corporation

Last update posted

Jun 24, 2026

Last verified

Jun, 2026

Keywords

  • OCD
  • cartilage
  • cartilage defect

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-08. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Vericel Corporation on 2026-06-24.