Randomized controlled trial demonstrates the benefit of RGTA® based matrix therapy to treat tendinopathies in racing horses

Abstract

A randomized controlled trial was performed on racing horses, to evaluate the efficacy of a new class of therapeutic agents in regenerative medicine—ReGeneraTing Agents® (RGTA®), to treat tendinopathies. Preliminary uncontrolled studies on tendon healing in racing horses with RGTA® (OTR4131)—Equitend® showed encouraging results, justifying performing a randomized, controlled, multicenter study with a two-year racing performance follow up. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Equitend® versus placebo on acute superficial digital flexor tendonitis in racing French Standardbred Trotters (ST). Twenty-two ST were randomly and blindly assigned to receive with a ratio of 2 to 1, a single Equitend® (n = 14) or placebo (n = 8) intralesional injection under ultrasonographic guidance. Horses were evaluated over 4 months, by clinical and ultrasonographic evaluations (day 0, months 1, 2, 4), and their racing performances followed up over the 2 years after treatment. During the first month of treatment, a significant decrease in the cross-sectional area (CSA) was found in the Equitend® group (p = 0.04). After 4 months, the number of Equitend® treated horses with an improved CSA was significantly higher than the placebo-treated horses (p = 0.03571). The Equitend® group returned to their pre-injury performance level, racing in, and winning, significantly more races than the placebo group (p = 0.01399 and 0.0421, respectively). Furthermore, recurrence was significantly higher in the placebo group than in the Equitend® group (71.4% vs 16.6%, p = 0.02442). In conclusion, we measured a significant, short-term, reduction effect on CSA and demonstrated a long-term beneficial effect of intralesional injection of Equitend® for the treatment of superficial digital flexor tendonitis on racing ST, racing 2. 3 times more often than placebo, with 3.3 times fewer recurrences maintaining pre-injury performance level. This study may open the way for the development of a human treatment of tendonitis.

ReGeneraTing Agents (rgta®) technology combined with antibiotics improves outcomes for infections in the upper limb

“…Moreover, the pain score was also reduced with this intervention, although not recorded in all patients. Further studies to assess the effect on nerve and tendon healing have been described in preclinical motor nerve section or crushed tendon models 28 and also for tendon lesions in racing horses in a randomized control trial 29 . This report provides new evidence supporting the clinical potential of this RGTA‐based matrix therapy.…”

Case Reports for Topical Treatment of Corneal Ulcers with a New Matrix Therapy Agent or RGTA® in Dogs

“…RGTA ® is a set of molecules, chemically engineered polymers, that are specifically designed to replace degraded heparan sulfate molecules in the injured matrix compartment. Therefore, they are considered as heparan sulfate mimetics based on their chemical structures and functions [3][4][5][6]. RGTA ® protects naturally existing structural and signaling proteins, and in doing so, creates a cellular microenvironment favorable to healing, thereby enhancing the speed and quality of tissue repair [4,7].…”