The grant funding will be used for studies to use stem cells to generate cartilage and bone tissue for injury repair.

Scripps Health has received $12.7 million in grant funding from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to conduct research into transforming stem cells into tissue that can be surgically implanted to repair some types of knee injuries.

The work will be led by investigators at the Shiley Center for Orthopaedic Research and Education at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla who aim to demonstrate that implanting the engineered tissue in animal models is safe and effective.

Such a biological implant “would resolve the limited availability of donor graft tissue and has the potential to delay and eventually eliminate the need for joint replacement,” Darryl D’Lima, MD, PhD, director of orthopedic research at Scripps Health and the study’s lead investigator, said in a press release.

The researchers hope to submit an application for the cell-based therapy with the US Food and Drug Administration for human clinical trials at the end of the five-year grant.

The grant will also support required FDA planning initiatives and the creation of an access and affordability plan required by CIRM.