In vitro and in vivo evaluation of osteoinductivity and bone fusion ability of an activin a/BMP2 chimera (AB204): a comparison study between AB204 and rhBMP-2

Abstract

This study compared osteoinductivity and osteogenic capacity between AB204 and rhBMP-2 using hMSCs in vitro and a beagle's posterolateral spinal fusion model. Cultured hMSCs were treated with AB204 or rhBMP-2 with low to high doses. Three male beagles were performed posterolateral spinal fusion with biphasic calcium phosphate (2 ml) + AB204 or rhBMP-2 (20, 50 or 200 µg). They were euthanized after 8 weeks. The fusion rate and bone formation of spine samples were examined. AB204 had higher alkaline phosphatase activity, mineralization and osteogenic-related gene expression than rhBMP-2. Fusion rates in all rhBMP-2 groups were 0. They were 100% for 50 μg and 200 μg AB204 groups. Therefore, AB204 showed higher osteogenicity than rhBMP-2. It could be a better bone graft substitute.

Design-augmented (DA) biologics: BMP chimeras for bone and cartilage regeneration

“…Unlike BMP2, AB204 also inhibits activin signaling, which is notable since activin antagonism can stimulate bone formation 10 . AB204 has been used successfully for spinal fusion in dog 11 and lacked adverse effects in toxicology studies, enabling human studies. 12 BV-265 for bone regeneration BV-265 is another recently-described DA BMP chimera that was created by combining activin A, BMP2, and BMP6 sequences (Fig.…”