MediPost’s Cartistem-Based Autologous Cartilage Restoration Surgery Reaches 3,000 Cases at a Single Hospital

by Kwak Minjae

Published 10 Feb.2026 09:19(KST)

MediPost announced on February 10 that autologous cartilage restoration surgery using its umbilical cord blood-derived allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell therapy, Cartistem, has surpassed 3,000 cases at a single medical institution in Korea for the first time.

Medipost's umbilical cord blood-derived allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell therapy 'Cartistem'. Medipost

This milestone was achieved at Gangnam JS Hospital in Gangnam, Seoul. It is a meaningful landmark demonstrating that Cartistem-based cartilage regeneration therapy has accumulated long-term safety and efficacy in clinical practice and has established itself as a key alternative for knee joint cartilage regeneration.

Autologous cartilage restoration surgery using Cartistem is a treatment that regenerates cartilage by applying the umbilical cord blood-derived stem cell therapy to damaged areas of the knee joint cartilage. It is performed prior to total knee arthroplasty, with the goal of restoring cartilage function and preserving the joint, and is applied to patients with degenerative knee osteoarthritis.

In particular, because this procedure requires comprehensive consideration of the extent of cartilage damage, joint alignment, the patient’s age, and activity level, the surgeon’s extensive clinical experience and a systematic treatment protocol have a major impact on treatment outcomes.

MediPost explained that, since the introduction of Cartistem, the company has continuously verified the clinical effectiveness and reproducibility of cartilage regeneration therapy through numerous accumulated clinical experiences and collaboration with medical staff.

Song Joonseob, Director of Gangnam JS Hospital, said, “Treatment of degenerative arthritis is rapidly shifting beyond simple pain relief toward preserving and regenerating cartilage,” adding, “Achieving 3,000 cases of autologous cartilage restoration surgery using Cartistem at a single institution is an important achievement that shows cartilage regeneration therapy is no longer a selective treatment but has taken root as one of the standard treatment options.”

A MediPost official said, “Reaching 3,000 cases at a single institution is a meaningful achievement that shows the therapeutic effect and safety of Cartistem have been accumulated over a long period in clinical practice through continuous collaboration with medical professionals,” and added, “Going forward, based on close cooperation with medical institutions, we will further advance clinical data and systematically accumulate and share long-term follow-up results, thereby continuously promoting the cartilage regeneration efficacy of Cartistem both in Korea and overseas.”

Meanwhile, based on the clinical experience accumulated with Cartistem in Korea, MediPost is actively expanding global clinical trials. In Japan, it has completed a phase 3 clinical trial of Cartistem and is currently preparing the final Clinical Study Report (CSR), with plans to announce the clinical results in the second quarter of 2026. In addition, having obtained Investigational New Drug (IND) approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a phase 3 clinical trial in the United States on February 4, the company is accelerating its global clinical development with a focus on Japan and the United States.