Allegheny Health Network’s Orthopaedic Institute Receives Charitable Donation to Further Tissue Repair Research

PITTSBURGH– Allegheny Health Network’s (AHN) Orthopaedic Institute is pleased to announce it has received a generous donation from CTM Biomedical, LLC.

CTM Biomedical, LLC, a leading U.S. provider of human placental connective tissue allografts, donated $500,000 to AHN.

“This philanthropic gift from CTM Biomedical underscores their commitment to advancing medical research and improving patient outcomes," said Boyle Cheng, PhD, Director of Translational Research for both the Neuroscience and Orthopaedic institutes at AHN.

This substantial gift establishes the AHN Connective Tissue Matrix (CTM) Research Fund, managed by AHN's Research Institute under the guidance of Dr. Cheng.

The fund will exclusively support human placental-derived connective tissue matrix allograft clinical and preclinical research, delving into the biological and physiological mechanisms of healing in tissue damage caused by various traumas, including orthopaedic injuries.

Allografts – tissues transplanted from one person, or one source, to a patient – can be used to repair damaged eyes, skin, heart valves, blood vessels, and more. In orthopaedic medicine, they can also be used to help repair tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissues.

While many types of tissue implants – cornea tissue or full ligaments, for example – might come from deceased human donors, others are manufactured from more viable biologic material, such as human placental tissue.

Dr. Cheng said that CTM’s human-origin connective tissue matrix, a biomaterial rich in growth factors and collagen, holds great promise in aiding patients' healing.

Understanding the science of what makes these connective tissue allografts work will help in identifying future clinical orthopedic applications.

“Surgeons know that many post-operative complications are biologic issues, resulting from poor tissue repair. Pairing surgical repair with a connective tissue allograft supports the body in

remodeling constructively,” said Kelly Hiatt, M.D., PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of CTM.

CTM Biomedical's donation reflects their ongoing commitment to funding research, exploring the role of human placental connective tissue in supporting tissue repair. Currently, CTM manufactures a variety of placental tissue particulates and wraps used widely by physicians in musculoskeletal procedures.

"As CEO of CTM Biomedical, we are proud to provide this charitable gift to Allegheny Health Network, aimed at propelling research in connective tissue matrix for orthopedic applications. Under the administration of Boyle Cheng, PhD, and leadership of Patrick J. DeMeo, MD, we are confident this contribution will drive innovation and ultimately improve patient outcomes in orthopedic care,” said Bryan Banman, CEO of CTM Biomedical.

For decades, researchers have investigated a wide range of applications for placental material because of its biologic potential for treating wounds, burns and other tissue damage. More recently, placental-derived allografts have shown promise for orthopaedic therapies.

“We are grateful for this support and anticipate that this contribution will significantly advance vital research, potentially shaping the future of orthopedic care and injury repair,” said Patrick DeMeo, Chair, AHN Orthopaedic Institute.