Last night on 10 News First (see the news report here), the Australian Government’s Health Minister The Hon Mark Butler announced a $7 million grant to Magellan Stem Cells to help deliver a Phase III human trial for our donor stem cell treatment for osteoarthritis.

The minister said: “Osteoarthritis is a huge cause of pain and disability in Australia.”

There are about 2.2 million sufferers, costing the Australian economy more than $A25 billion annually.

“Up until now the treatments only extended to pain relief and potentially replacement surgery, like knee replacements,” the minister said.

Patient Keryn Hutchison told 10 News how the treatment “gave me my life back”.

The trial is due to start next year.