Table 4 Clinical study of hydrogels strategies in the repair of articular cartilage injury

Complexes of allogeneic human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB–MSCs) and hyaluronic acid hydrogels [Cartistem]

Case series

7 patients

Improved clinical outcomes remained stable at 7-year follow-up, with no cases of osteogenesis or tumorigenesis

Osteoarthritic

[118]

ChonDux Hydrogel(A hydrogel scaffold formed by bonding chondroitin sulfate to PEG hydrogel)

Case series

18 patients

Promotes stable repair of full-layer articular cartilage defects within 24 months

Focal articular cartilage defect of the knee joint

[119]

Albumin–hyaluronic acid hydrogel

Prospective, multicenter, single-arm, phase III clinical trial

100 patients

Two years after ACI treatment, 93% of patients were KOOS responders having improved by ≥ 10 points compared with their pre-operative level

Large cartilage defect of the knee joint

[120]

Injectable autologous chondrocyte transplantation products

Prospective therapeutic study

13 patients

Increased activity levels, improved quality of life and reduced pain after 12 months of follow-up

Hip cartilage defects

[121]

Poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogel

Pilot clinical trial

18 patients

Reduced pain in patients receiving treatment

Focal cartilage defect of the medial femoral condyle

[122]

Pharmaceutical formulations containing Carbopol® hydrogels

double-blind randomized controlled trial

18 patients

Increased muscle strength in knee extensors and flexors at 21 days in women treated with PeONC

Osteoarthritis

[123]

New Type I Collagen Hydrogel (CaReS)

Prospective multicenter study

118 patients

Five-year follow-up results show that the technique significantly improves pain levels

Articular cartilage defects in the knee

[124]