Living knee implants could become your last knee replacement

Columbia University and the University of Missouri are developing NOVAKnee, a living knee implant made from a biodegradable scaffold seeded with stem‑cell–generated bone and cartilage. The scaffold is designed to degrade as new tissue forms, potentially offering longer‑lasting restoration with fewer revision surgeries than traditional metal/plastic implants. Backed by the NITRO program, the approach explores autologous and allogeneic cell options and will progress from small animals to large‑animal studies before first‑in‑human trials targeted for around 2028; if successful, it could become a platform technology for other joints.