Cell-based therapies for intervertebral disc and cartilage regeneration- Current concepts, parallels, and perspectives.

Lower back pain from degenerative disc disease represents a global health burden, and presents a prominent opportunity for regenerative therapeutics. While current regenerative therapies such as autologous disc chondrocyte transplantation (ADCT), allogeneic juvenile chondrocyte implantation (NuQu®), and immunoselected allogeneic adipose derived precursor cells (Mesoblast) show exciting clinical potential, limitations remain. The heterogeneity of preclinical approaches and the paucity of clinical guidance have limited translational outcomes in disc repair, lagging almost a decade behind cartilage repair. Advances in cartilage repair have evolved to single step approaches with improved orthopedic repair and regeneration. Elements from cartilage regeneration endeavors could be adopted and applied to harness translatable approaches and deliver a clinically and economically feasible regenerative surgery for back pain. In this article, we trace the developments behind the translational success of cartilage repair, examine elements to consider in achieving disc regeneration, and the need for surgical redesign. We further discuss clinical parameters, objectives, and coordination required to deliver improved regenerative surgery. Cell source, processing, and delivery modalities are key issues to be addressed in considering surgical redesign. Advances in biomanufacturing, tissue cryobanking, and point of care cell processing technology may enable intraoperative solutions for single step procedures. To maximize translational success a triad partnership between clinicians, industry, and researchers will be critical in providing instructive clinical guidelines for design as well as practical and economic considerations. This will allow a consensus in research ventures and add regenerative surgery into the algorithm in managing and treating a debilitating condition such as back pain.