The Company
Lescarden. Focused on the future of healing, naturally

Lescarden Incorporated is a biotechnology company dedicated to the research and development
of proprietary biologic materials with a focus on wound healing, clinical skin care, osteoarthritis, autoimmune and cancer applications. Lescarden’s research team is responsible for the breakthrough studies that have uncovered the unique pharmacological properties of cartilage and its derivatives. These efforts, spanning five decades, stand today as the foundation of any clinical investigation into the therapeutic application of cartilage.

Fathers of cartilage therapy

Lescarden Inc., a publicly-owned biotechnology company, was founded in 1960 by the late John Prudden MD, MED. Sc.D., a Harvard-trained physician known as the “father of cartilage therapy.”

As an Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in 1954,
Dr. Prudden first observed the extraordinary properties in cartilage while investigating various materials in an effort to reverse the negative effects that corticosteroids had on wound healing.  Applying cartilage powder to open wounds, Dr. Prudden enthusiastically noted that the substance accelerated the wound healing and reduced inflammation of the surrounding tissues.

Numerous studies, by the Lescarden research team as well as other leading scientists, have continued to define and expand upon the array of beneficial pharmacological properties of bovine cartilage both topically and systemically.  Years of product testing and refinement has led to the creation of Lescarden’s proprietary formula for purifying bovine cartilage producing a sterile white powder that optimizes the healing and anti-inflammatory processes. Today, the company’s exclusive bovine cartilage powder, marketed as Catrix®, is FDA and EU approved for the management of chronic wounds and severe burns.

Catrix is a natural, non-toxic, non-steroidal, collagen-rich mucopolysaccharide product that functions in the body as a biological response modifier, stimulating the body to repair itself. Some demonstrated effects of Catrix both in vitro and in vivo include:

Addressing patient needs

Originally developed for chronic wound care, Catrix-based products are now valued by dermatologists, plastic surgeons, physicians, general surgeons and other healthcare professionals for many more applications.

Catrix Skin Care products are clinically proven to soothe and rejuvenate rapidly heal skin compromised by cosmetic procedures, such as chemical peels, laser resurfacing and microdermabrasions.

In addition, Lescarden produces pharmaceutical grade nutritional supplements, which include:
Bio-Cartilage; 100% pure bovine cartilage for inflammatory joint disease and immune system enhancement, and Poly-NAG, a sustained-release source of glucosamine, recommended for alleviating the pain of osteoarthritis and promoting overall joint health.

As the discoverers of bovine cartilage, Lescarden is confident that the true value of Catrix to the medical community has not been fully realized. The company is committed to investing in ongoing research and development to explore the vast potential of its healing properties.

Clinical and laboratory studies point to Catrix as a potential agent for the treatment of certain cancers . In addition, Lescarden has embarked on clinical studies demonstrating the effectiveness of Poly-NAG for use in veterinary applications.