Bone regeneration technologies can help prevent the need for amputation after traumatic injuries like those sustained by combat veterans. It can help alleviate debilitating pain in people with degenerative spinal discs, as well as treat a range of other debilitating conditions. Theradaptive, a Frederick-based Biotechnology company led by CEO Luis Alvarez, Ph.D., is developing technologies that use material-binding variant therapeutic proteins to improve outcomes for future patients. By helping to deliver therapeutics directly to where they are needed, Theradaptive aims to reduce the number of patients having to make the life-altering decision to amputate, as well as improve the spinal condition of patients who might otherwise suffer from significant loss of mobility. Among hundreds of other potential applications, Theradaptive’s initial focus is on spinal fusion, bone repair and cartilage repair.

To learn more about the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund (MSCRF), visit www.mscrf.org.
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Bone is a complex tissue to care for. Broken bones take months to heal and if an infection reaches the bone, the likely outcome is amputation to prevent further spread. Without a robust musculoskeletal network, this can result in a significant loss of mobility. Examples of traumatic bone damage events include combat injury, car crashes, falls, and more. Bone weakening can also occur with age or in the case of disorders like osteoporosis, leading to other painful and mobility-limiting conditions such as degenerative discs in the spine.

By accelerating the process of bone regeneration, patients can avoid limb loss and excruciating pain, allowing for a faster return to daily life. However, bone is covered in muscle and other tissues, making bone one of the most complex tissues to regenerate. Dr. Luis Alvarez and his team at Theradaptive, Inc. have shown great success in creating bone regeneration technologies where the surfaces of materials are coated with bioactive compounds that can help bone formation. Theradaptive has developed a novel method to modify recombinant proteins so that they can be coated on the surface of implants like paint, making them readily available for interaction with cells from the body. In combination with stem cell therapies, this material can be implanted at the site of injury or bone weakening to stimulate relatively rapid tissue repair. The development of this technology should reduce the number of patients faced with the difficult decision to amputate. The main advantage of Theradaptive’s platform is the ability of the protein to stick to the implant material, avoiding unnecessary side effects from freely diffusing proteins, while keeping the proteins concentrated at the defect site where they are needed most.

The focus on helping active military and veterans stemmed from Dr. Alvarez’s time overseas in the US Army, where he observed a plethora of veterans undergoing delayed amputation of limbs despite their limbs having originally been salvaged. The foundational technologies upon which Theradaptive is based were initially developed during Dr. Alvarez’s time at MIT, where he enrolled in their Ph.D. program to design a solution to repair tissues with precision. Since its origin, Theradaptive has been commercializing bone regeneration technology to restore function and allow more wounded individuals, including active military and veterans, to avoid limb loss.

The Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund (MSCRF) supported Theradaptive at an early stage in the company's development. Thanks to that early backing, Theradaptive was able to secure Federal funding, predominantly from the Department of Defense (DoD). This unique blend of state and federal investment in Theradaptive highlights how MSCRF can jumpstart regenerative medicine efforts in biotechnology.

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