A Phase 3 interventional study of MACI and microfracture in Chondral Defect, Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD) and Articular Cartilage Defect, sponsored by Vericel Corporation. Recruiting at 15 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 10 Years to 17 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-03.
Sponsored by Vericel Corporation · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment
The objective of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of MACI® vs arthroscopic microfracture in the treatment of participants aged 10 to 17 years with symptomatic articular chondral or osteochondral defects of the knee.
This is a 2-year prospective, multicenter, randomized, open-label, parallel group clinical trial; a total of 45 participants, ages 10 to 17 years, will be randomized to receive a 1-time treatment with MACI or microfracture (2:1, 30 MACI:15 microfracture).
After meeting screening criteria at the initial visit, all participants will have a screening arthroscopy to further assess study eligibility. During the screening arthroscopy, participants will be further evaluated against entry criteria. Cartilage lesion size will be measured prior to any cartilage repair procedure and randomization. All participants who meet the eligibility criteria and are considered suitable for treatment in the study will have a cartilage biopsy taken prior to randomization to study treatment. Eligible participants will be randomized during the screening arthroscopy procedure to receive either MACI or microfracture treatment. Participants randomized to microfracture will undergo the procedure during the screening arthroscopy.
All biopsied tissue will be sent to the Vericel manufacturing facility in Massachusetts, where the sample will be processed to isolate the autologous chondrocytes. Cells from participants randomized to the MACI group will be used in the preparation of the MACI implant; cells from participants randomized to the microfracture group will be cryopreserved.
Participants randomized to treatment with MACI will return within 12 weeks of the screening arthroscopy to undergo the chondrocyte implantation procedure via arthrotomy. Participants are to follow a recommended postoperative rehabilitation program and compliance with the rehabilitation schedule will be monitored.
Participants will be followed post-study treatment for 2 years (104 Weeks).
30 studies on the registry are indexed under Osteochondritis Dissecans; 7 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 45 is close to the median of 45 across 17 interventional studies indexed under Osteochondritis Dissecans.
Browse Osteochondritis Dissecans studies →Vericel Corporation is the lead sponsor of 14 studies on the registry; 2 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
One or more International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) Grade III or IV chondral or unsalvageable osteochondral defects located on the femoral condyles and/or trochlea amenable to treatment with the surgical procedure determined at randomization (MACI or microfracture).
Exclusion Criteria:
Participants who, in the opinion of the Investigator, have significant medical or psychosocial problems that warrant exclusion. Examples of significant problems included but are not limited to:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.
Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.
It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
Biopsy and archival tissue
A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.
Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Investigational drug or device
A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.
It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Cancer (malignancy)
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hypersensitivity
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
autologous cultured chondrocytes on porcine collagen membrane
Biological: MACI
surgical procedure
Procedure: microfracture
autologous cultured chondrocytes on porcine collagen membrane
Arthroscopic microfracture treatment
Proportion of Participants Who Achieve ≥ 10-point Improvement From Baseline in KOOS-Child Pain and Function (Sports and Recreational Activities) Subscale Scores
A responder is defined as a participant with ≥ 10-point change (improvement) in both the KOOS-Child Pain and Function (Sports and Recreational activities) scores from Baseline scores. The Knee and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Children (KOOS-Child) is a validated knee-specific instrument developed to assess the participant's opinion of their knee and associated problems. KOOS consists of 5 subscales: Pain, Function in sports and recreational activities, other Symptoms, Function in activities of daily living (ADL), and knee related Quality of life (QOL).
Time frame: Baseline and Week 104
Change from Baseline in KOOS-Child subscores
The Knee and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Children (KOOS-Child) is a validated knee-specific instrument developed to assess the participant's opinion of their knee and associated problems. KOOS consists of 5 subscales: Pain, Function in sports and recreational activities, other Symptoms, Function in activities of daily living (ADL), and knee related Quality of life (QOL).
Time frame: Baseline and Week 104
Change from Baseline in KOOS-Child subscores
The Knee and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Children (KOOS-Child) is a validated knee-specific instrument developed to assess the participant's opinion of their knee and associated problems. KOOS consists of 5 subscales: Pain, Function in sports and recreational activities, other Symptoms, Function in activities of daily living (ADL), and knee related Quality of life (QOL).
Time frame: Baseline and Week 52
Treatment Emergent Adverse Events
A treatment emergent untoward medical occurrence associated with the use of a drug in humans, whether or not considered drug related.
Time frame: Week 104
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Plan to share: No
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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