To assess the efficacy and safety of the intra-articular injection of TissueGene-C in patients with degenerative arthritis of the knee

TissueGene-C is a biological new drug which consists of non-transduced chondrocytes and transduced chondrocytes that express Transforming Growth Factor(TGF)-b1 to regenerate the damaged cartilage.

During the clinical trial Phase 2A, we compare low dose or high dose TissueGene-C in 6 months trial with 28 outpatients who have degenerative arthritis. The patients are randomized to two dose levels of TisssueGene-C by 1:1 ratio, and they are monitored and recorded for alleviating symptoms, sports activities, function of the knee, and the presence of adverse events.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Male or female, aged 45 years or more
2. With grade 4 degenerative arthritis of the knee [based on the International Cartilage Repair Society(ICRS) evaluation criteria from the MRI results]
3. With less than 6 cm2major lesions
4. With major lesions (grade 4) concentrated in only one section of the knee and considered the main cause of the clinical symptoms
5. Unresponsive to conventional symptomatic treatment
6. Healthy and with no major physical examination, hematology, serum chemistry, and urine test findings and no significant medical history
7. Agreed to use an effective contraceptive method during the study period
8. Voluntarily agreed to participate in this study and signed the Informed Consent Form

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Abnormal screening laboratory test (hematology, serum, and urine test) findings

2. Took anti-inflammatory medications (prescribed or over-the-counter), including natural medicines, within 14 days before the injection of the investigational product

3. Took antirheumatic drugs (e.g., methotrexate or antimetabolites) within three months before enrollment in this study

4. Has a history of drug abuse within one year from the enrolment, or has positive results in the urine drug test or serum alcohol test at the screening visit

5. Received an injection in the target knee within two months before enrollment in this study

6. Pregnant or breastfeeding female

7. With another joint disease apart from degenerative arthritis (e.g., systemic rheumatic inflammatory disease associated with the knee or chondrocalcinosis, hemachromatosis, inflammatory arthritis, necrosis of the trochanter, Paget's disease adjacent to a joint in the femur or tibia, ochronosis, hemophilic arthropathy, infectious arthritis, Charcot's disease in the knee joint, villonodular synovitis, and synovial chondromas)

8. With a current infectious disease, including HIV or hepatitis

9. Has any of the following clinically significant diseases:

   • heart disease [e.g., myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, other serious heart disease, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)]

   • kidney disease (e.g., chronic renal failure, glomerulonephritis)

   • liver disease (e.g., liver cirrhosis, fatty liver, acute or chronic liver disease)

   • endocrine disease (e.g., hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, thyroiditis, diabetes insipidus, Cushing's disease)

   • insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

   • medical history of or current malignant tumor

   • In particular, the tumors that TissueGene-C may aggravate can be screened using the following tests:

     • Leukemia: White Blood Cell level in the hematology
     • Osteochondroma, Chondromas, Chondroblastoma, Chondromyxoid fibroma, Chondrosarcoma : Alkaline phosphatase level in the hematology

10. Participated in another clinical trial (using the investigational drug or a medical device) within 30 days before enrollment in this study

11. Considered by the investigator inappropriate for participation in this study