TD-198946

TD-198946 is a potent chondrogenic agent. TD-198946 strongly induces chondrogenic differentiation without promoting hypertrophy in cell and metatarsal organ cultures. TD-198946 induces stronger Col2a1 promoter activity than insulin in ATDC5 cells. In C3H10T1/2 cells, ATDC5 cells and primary mouse chondrocytes, TD-198946 dose-dependently stimulates endogenous expression of the chondrocyte markers Col2a1 and Acan , with maximum effects around 1-10 μM.

When administered directly into the joint space, TD-198946 successfully prevents and repaires degeneration of the articular cartilage. TD-198946 exerts its effect through the regulation of Runx1 expression, which is downregulated in both mouse and human OA cartilage compared with normal tissue. TD-198946 has disease-modifying effects on progressed osteoarthritis. TD-198946 may prevent the progression of osteoarthritis by acting on the remaining chondrocytes rather than repairing damaged cartilage, it may be most effective as a therapeutic during the early or middle stages of osteoarthritis, before the articular cartilage is fully eroded. Cartilaginous cell-sheets are generated by culturing mouse and canine costal chondrocytes and human mesenchymal stem cells with TD-198946 on temperature-responsive dishes. The transplanted cell-sheets are then successfully used to promote the reconstruction of permanent cartilage, with no evidence of chondrocyte hypertrophy in the knee articular cartilage defects created in mice and canines.