Stem cells taken from stomach fat and used to regenerate knee tissue Charity chief says therapy potentially 'transformational'

By Claire Bates

PUBLISHED: 05:15 EST, 10 July 2012 | UPDATED: 08:23 EST, 10 July 2012

An injection of stem cells taken from body fat could one day help patients recover from crippling osteoarthritis.

The treatment, which has been successfully trialled on animals, helps the body regrow tissue and cartilage that has been damaged by the degenerative condition.

Although still at an experimental stage, experts say the therapy could be 'transformational' for the six million people in the UK who suffer from the condition.

Osteoarthritis occurs when there is damage in and around a joint which the body cannot repair

Early results suggest the treatment, from Australian company Regeneus, could delay the need for joint repair by 10 or 20 years. There is the possibility that it could stop the disease's progression altogether if caught early.

Judith Brodie, chief executive of Arthritis Care, told Mail Online: 'This new stem cell therapy, if the trials continue to show success, could be transformational.

'While the long-term effects are unknown, and there should be caution due to the early stage of development, Arthritis Care welcomes progress in treating this painful condition.'

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Arthritis stem cell jab 'could ease pain for millions'