Disruptive Therapies for the long-term relief of Osteoarthritis Pain

Introduction

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common cause of chronic pain in older persons in Europe and is the leading cause of disability. The disease is a condition affecting the joint cartilage and subchondral bone and is frequently accompanied by pain, stiffness, and long-term disability.

Symptoms and Impact

Chronic pain is the most prominent symptom in most people with OA and is the most important determinant of disability in patients with osteoarthritis.

Current Treatment Guidelines

Treatment guidelines for OA pain management uniformly recommend a range of pharmacological therapies, including:

• Paracetamol
• NSAIDs
• Opioids

These are to be used together with non-pharmacological therapies. However, such therapies are restricted by considerable side effects and limited efficacy, as well as country-specific restrictions on prescriptions (e.g., on opioid use).

Challenges in Management

Given the risks and side effects associated with current therapies, the long-term outlook for OA patients is bleak. Currently, there exists no non-pharmacological effective therapy for OA pain management. OA patients are left with two options:

1. Manage the debilitating chronic pain using over-the-counter and/or prescription medication, with all of the risks and side effects associated with those therapies.
2. Try to independently cope with the pain and all of the personal, economic, and societal challenges that chronic pain presents.

Project Overview

Within the ambitious Arth-alleve project, we propose to develop a non-pharma, side-effect-free long-term therapy for OA patients, providing new hope to the growing cohort of European citizens affected by this debilitating disease.

Innovative Approach

The Arth-Alleve project will explore the concept of attaching neurotoxin molecules to hydrogel particles to enable the mechanism of nerve blocking to occur. The hydrogel will act as a long-term anchor, preventing migration of the molecule from the target site.

Conclusion

This project will truly transform the treatment of chronic OA pain and the quality of life of the large cohort of European patients suffering from the condition.