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Histogenics develops and manufactures products that improve the body's ability to regenerate healthy cartilage, improve joint function and prevent degenerative disease. Formed in 2000, the company takes an interdisciplinary approach to engineering neocartilage that looks, acts, and lasts like hyaline cartilage. It is developing new treatments for sports injuries and other orthopedic conditions, where demand is growing for long-term alternatives to joint replacement. Histogenics is advancing the science of cartilage regeneration to make treatment more efficient and outcomes more successful. Its first product, NeoCart®, is an autologous engineered neocartilage implant for repairing knee injuries. Created outside the body using the patient's own cartilage cells, or chondrocytes, it has the biological, structural and functional characteristics of native articular cartilage. Histogenics grows this autologous neocartilage using a patented, high-pressure tissue engineering processor that mimics the body's natural conditions. The VeriCartÔ implant is an off-the-shelf auto-regenerative cartilage matrix that, once implanted in the body, stimulates the formation of cartilage within its biodegradable porous structure. It provides a simple, direct treatment for cartilage defects. Histogenics has successfully completed Phase I clinical trials, and begun Phase II trials in which the NeoCart implant's effectiveness is compared to that of standard microfracture surgery. Trials for the VeriCart matrix are planned to begin in late 2007. Histogenics is privately held and based in Waltham, Massachusetts. Major investors include Boston Millennia Partners, Foundation Medical Partners, Takagi Sangyo and Stryker Corporation.