ASCs will be administered via intra-articular use into the knee joint affected by OA where they are expected to exert their therapeutic effects.

The objective of this clinical trial is to generate efficacy and tolerability profiles of single injections of 2 dosages of autologous ASCs versus standard of care (placebo), when administered locally into a knee joint affected by OA after in vitro cell expansion. The potential of ASC to lead to a disease-modifying therapeutic option for the treatment of this chronic and debilitating disease will be assessed by MRI after 1 and 2 years.

This will be a phase IIb, multi-centre, prospective, randomized, double-blind study, comparing culture-expanded autologous ASC with placebo.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Symptomatic mild to moderate osteoarthritis (OA) of the index knee as defined by the American college of Rheumatology (ACR)
• Must meet pain criteria at the time of screening/baseline visit since at least half of the days in the previous month
• NSAID washout of at least 2 days before screening/baseline

Exclusion Criteria:

• Previous treatments acting on cartilage or bone metabolism
• Received intra-articular injection of corticosteroids, platelet rich plasma or hyaluronic acid within the previous 6 months,
• Significant trauma or surgery to the index knee within the last year or arthroscopy of the index knee within 12 months of screening.
• Kellgren-Lawrence Grade 1 or 4 in the index knee on any incidences.
• Osteoarthritis causing significant pain in any joint other than the identified knee, i.e., pain in hip, or contralateral knee (≥ 20 mm pain) as confirmed by a separate VAS at baseline for any other painful joint concerned
• History of joint replacement of the knee or hip within the previous 12 months