From lab to clinic: CUHK’s InnoHK Centre CNRM signs Memorandum of Understanding with Sweden’s Cellcolabs AB to advance mesenchymal stromal cell therapy for knee osteoarthritis

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From lab to clinic: CUHK's InnoHK Centre CNRM signs Memorandum of Understanding with Sweden's Cellcolabs AB to advance mesenchymal stromal cell therapy for knee osteoarthritis

The InnoHK Centre for Neuromusculoskeletal Restorative Medicine (CNRM), established by CUHK, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sweden-based company Cellcolabs AB to establish a strategic international collaboration to advance mesenchymal stromal cell therapy for knee osteoarthritis. Featuring in the photo are Professor Patrick Yung Shu-hang (right), Director of CNRM and Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology in the Faculty of Medicine at CUHK and Petter Hallman, Acting CEO at Cellcolabs.

The InnoHK Centre for Neuromusculoskeletal Restorative Medicine (CNRM), established by The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sweden-based company Cellcolabs AB to establish a strategic international collaboration. The collaboration is designed to directly support CNRM's upcoming Phase I/II clinical trial investigating mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapy for knee osteoarthritis.

Knee osteoarthritis, a prevalent degenerative condition that erodes joint cartilage and hinders movement, is particularly common in older adults. Standard treatments encompass pain medications, physical therapy, lubricating injections, and surgical procedures. Allogeneic MSC therapy represents an innovative regenerative approach, using donor-derived cells injected into the joint to reduce inflammation, alleviate pain, and potentially restore damaged cartilage.

"This MoU marks a major step forward in turning rigorous academic research into effective treatments for patients with knee osteoarthritis," said Professor Patrick Yung Shu-hang, Director of CNRM and Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology in the Faculty of Medicine at CUHK.

CNRM is supported by the InnoHK initiative of the Innovation and Technology Commission of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It is dedicated to translating pioneering research in stem cells, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine into practical therapeutics. To accelerate this clinical translation, CNRM is partnering with Cellcolabs AB, a leading producer of high-quality, GMP-certified mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), based on over 25 years of research at medical university Karolinska Institutet. The MoU opens pathways for deeper collaboration, including potential multi-centre trials and long-term commercial partnerships.

"This partnership reflects our focus on enabling high-quality clinical research through robust cell manufacturing and international collaboration," said Petter Hallman, Acting CEO at Cellcolabs. "Working with CNRM and CUHK allows us to support a clinically meaningful programme while strengthening the bridge between academic research and scalable therapeutic development."

Professor Yung added that the agreement extends CUHK's influence by linking Hong Kong's research excellence with European expertise in advanced cell manufacturing, positioning both as key contributors to addressing the worldwide health challenges posed by ageing and osteoarthritis. Through this partnership, the two parties aim to advance standardised, high-quality MSC therapies, accelerating innovative regenerative treatments from science to patient solutions, and in the process reinforcing Hong Kong's role as an international hub for biomedical innovation and cross-border technology transfer.

The InnoHK Centre for Neuromusculoskeletal Restorative Medicine (CNRM), established by CUHK, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sweden-based company Cellcolabs AB to establish a strategic international collaboration to advance mesenchymal stromal cell therapy for knee osteoarthritis. Featuring in the photo are Professor Patrick Yung Shu-hang (right), Director of CNRM and Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology in the Faculty of Medicine at CUHK and Petter Hallman, Acting CEO at Cellcolabs.