For the first time, The Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA), the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM), the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) and the ON Foundation have collaborated to form The Biologics Alliance (BA)™, an orthopaedic organization dedicated to providing one voice for all matters on musculoskeletal biologics and regenerative medicine.

Recently, randomized clinical trials and clinical practice guidelines have called into question the ability of treatments such as oral medications, injection therapies, physical therapy, arthroscopy and arthroplasty to provide significant clinical improvement to patients with osteoarthritis (OA), the most common condition evaluated and treated by orthopaedic surgeons. With numerous remedies being used clinically despite minimal rigorous evidence to support their use, the need for medical and scientific leadership in defining and assessing biologic therapies becomes evident.

The BA was founded in 2018 with a purpose to unite and critically evaluate the current evidence for biologics and regenerative medicine, in order to encourage responsible use of therapies, facilitate rigorous study of treatment outcomes in order to establish the scientific basis for regenerative medicine therapies, and discourage the widespread indiscriminate use of unproven therapies. With numerous voices both nationally and internationally weighing in, the BA’s intention is to provide a unified voice and to offer insight through the development of reporting standards and research that can help physicians and their patients better understand the existing and future clinical application of biologic therapies.

“The BA aims to advocate for the responsible use of biologics in clinical practice; lead in the development of biologic standards; and report on the safety and efficacy of biologic interventions,” said BA Co-Chair Bert Mandelbaum, M.D.

The BA Board of Directors are:

• Brian Cole, M.D., M.B.A., Associate Chairman and Professor, Department of Orthopedics Chairman, Department of Surgery, Rush OPH; Managing Partner, Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush Sports Medicine and Surgery, Shoulder, Elbow and Knee Care; Section Head, Cartilage Restoration Center at Rush; and Team Physician, Chicago Bulls, Chicago White Sox and Chicago Dogs
• Jason Dragoo, M.D., (Co-Chairman of the Alliance), Professor and Vice Chair of Academic Affairs, Endowed Chair of Regenerative Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine; Director, UC Health Steadman Hawkins Clinic Denver; Head Team Physician, Denver Nuggets; Team Physician, Denver Broncos
• Christian Lattermann, M.D., Chief of Sports Medicine and Director, Cartilage Repair Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital at Harvard Medical School
• Bert Mandelbaum, M.D., (Co-Chair of the Alliance), Co-Chair, Medical Affairs Cedars Sinai Kerlan Jobe Institute, Co-Director, Sports Medicine Cedars Sinai Department of Orthopaedic Surgery; Associate Chief Medical Officer, Major League Soccer; and Chief Medical Officer, LA Galaxy
• Louis McIntyre, M.D., Clinical Associate Professor, Northwell Health Physicians Partners Orthopaedic Institute, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra University
• Norimasa Nakamura, M.D., Orthopedic Surgeon, Osaka University Hospital in Osaka, Japan; Professor, Institute for Medical Science in Sports at Osaka Health Science University and the Center for the Advanced Medical Engineering and Informatics at Osaka University
• Scott Rodeo, M.D., Professor, Orthopedic Surgery, Hospital for Special Surgery/Weill Cornell Medical College; Vice Chair of Orthopaedic Research, Co-Chief Emeritus, Sports Medicine Institute, Hospital for Special Surgery; Head Team Physician, New York Giants Football Team; USA Swimming Olympic Games Team Physician
• John Tokish, M.D., Senior Associate Consultant; Professor, Orthopedic Surgery; Orthopedic Sports Medicine; Orthopedic Surgeon, Arizona Coyotes; Director, Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellowship; Team Orthopedic Surgeon, Arizona Coyotes Hockey Club; Mayo Clinic Arizona
• Ken Zaslav, M.D., Chief of Orthobiologics: OrthoVirginia; President, Ortho Virginia research Foundation; Clinical Professor, Orthopaedic Surgery Virginia Commonwealth University; Company Physician, Richmond Ballet; Past President ICRS

The BA will host their first annual Summit Feb. 6–7, 2020 in Carlsbad, California. The Summit agenda will combine education with strategic meetings focused on paving the way for future position statements. Specifically, the conference will feature six interactive modules, including discussions on the current state of the art in the area of biologic therapies; current regulatory processes; and implications and clinical applications. A special highlight of the Summit will be moderated case-based presentations led by leaders in orthopaedics.

The official BA website is set to launch in the very near future.

The Biologics Alliance™ is an orthopaedic organization with a mission to foster and convene a collaboration for shared and coordinated efforts to speak with a unified voice in the musculoskeletal biologics environment.