Viscosupplementation with high molecular weight native hyaluronan. Focus on a 1500-2000 KDa fraction (Hyalubrix®)

Joint disease reduces the rheological properties of synovial fluid, increasing the susceptibility of the articular cartilage to damage. Thus, a therapeutic strategy, called viscosupplementation, was proposed in which intra-articular injections of a suitable material are used to restore the viscoelastic properties of the synovial fluid. Solutions of high-MW native HA, which is the main component of the synovial fluid, were a natural choice to reach this goal, but HA-derived materials, engineered to achieve greater elastoviscosity and intra-articular residence time, were also developed. In the last twenty years the clinical experience showed that viscosupplementation is effective in joint diseases such as osteoarthritis, with beneficial effects on pain, function and patient global assessment. However, a marked variability between different preparations on different outcome parameters was reported to exist.

In the present paper the available data on Hyalubrix®, a specific 1.5% formulation of natural HA with MW in the range 1500-2000 kDa, were reviewed, trying to outline, in the framework of the available intra-articular therapies, the role it can play for the symptomatic management of patients with degenerative joint arthropathy.