Optimizing bone-cartilage transplantation for knee joint preservation and prevention of osteoarthritis in the Netherlands (OCA-NL)

OCA-NL introduces donor bone-cartilage transplantation as a novel treatment for people with severe damage to their cartilage and underlying bone. In this procedure, damaged tissue in the knee is replaced with healthy donor tissue. The project is carried out by a public-private partnership combining the strengths of the department of Orthopaedic Surgery of the UMC Utrecht, ETB-BISLIFE (the Dutch national tissue bank), OPERATIE EN ZORG (expert in anatomy, surgical instruments, medical education), and PIRCHE AG (specialist in bioinformatics and histocompatibility). Together, we willintroduce and innovate donor bone-cartilage transplantation as a standard treatment for knee care in the Netherlands. 

More than 1.5 million people in the Netherlands suffer from knee osteoarthritis, a leading cause of pain, disability, and reduced quality of life. Current treatments often fall short, and knee replacement is only an option at advanced stages due to limited lifespan. Joint-preserving treatment is urgently needed to delay or prevent osteoarthritis, improve lives and reduce the long-term healthcare burden. 

OCA-NL addresses this challenge with innovative solutions. ETB-BISLIFE develops new logistics for rapid and safe donor tissue retrieval and preservation. Academic partners advance tissue biology to maintain cartilage viability and study patient and donor factors that influence outcomes. OPERATIE EN ZORG contributes to ensure smooth clinical implementation by testing innovative instruments, supervising surgeries, and providing surgical training. PIRCHE AG applies state-of-the-art bioinformatics to optimize donor–patient matching and gain new insights into cartilage immune privilege. We will also explore novel and safe strategies to expand the donor pool, making transplantation more widely available.

Our project will deliver reliable logistics, advanced preservation methods, improved donor–patient matching tools, and evidence for new donor sources. Together, these breakthroughs will establish the first national donor bone-cartilage transplantation program, giving patients earlier treatment, less pain, better mobility, and reduced risk of osteoarthritis.