Cipla has announced the launch of Ciplostem, an allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cell therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis (Knee OA), approved by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). The therapy has been developed by Stempeutics Research and targets Grade II and Grade III Knee OA.
Knee OA is a chronic and progressive degenerative joint disease. As of 2021, it affected more than 48.4 million people in India. The condition continues to rise among younger populations. Existing treatment approaches include painkillers, viscosupplementation, and physiotherapy, and are focused on short-term symptom relief. There remains an unmet need for treatment options that address disease progression.
Ciplostem is administered as a single-dose intra-articular injection into the knee joint. It contains 25 million ex vivo expanded, pooled, cultured adult human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells co-administered with hyaluronic acid. The therapy is designed to work at the cellular level to support inflammation reduction, pain reduction, enhanced joint function, and cartilage quality preservation in Grade II and III Knee OA.
Commenting on the launch, Dr Jaideep Gogtay, Global Chief Medical Officer, Cipla, said, “At Cipla, our focus continues to remain on moving up the innovation curve and delivering next-generation therapies that improve overall patient outcomes. With Ciplostem, our aim is to bring a scientifically validated cell therapy option into everyday clinical practice, which significantly reduces pain, preserves joint function and enhances mobility for up to 2 years after administration in knee OA.”
BN Manohar, MD and CEO, Stempeutics Research, said, “At Stempeutics, our efforts have always been focused at developing therapies that address disease fundamentally. Ciplostem sets a new benchmark in regenerative medicine, reflecting years of dedicated research and robust Phase 3 evidence. We are pleased to partner with Cipla to extend the reach of this stem cell therapy in India, transforming scientific innovation into tangible patient impact.”
Cipla and Stempeutics stated that the launch reinforces a shared focus on science-driven advancements in chronic disease management and joint preservation therapy.