Intra-articular Injection of Type I Atelocollagen to Alleviate Knee Pain: A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial

Collagen disruption is one of the underlying causes of knee pain in patients with osteoarthritis and/or diverse cartilage defects. Atelocollagen is a type of collagen that lacks telopeptides and thus has reduced antigenicity. The intra-articular injection of type I atelocollagen supplements collagen levels in the disrupted articular cartilage. This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effects of the intra-articular injection of atelocollagen for the management of knee pain.

Two hundred patients with osteoarthritis, chondromalacia, or other cartilage defects were randomly assigned to receive a 3-mL intra-articular injection of atelocollagen (BioCollagen group) or saline (Placebo group). Clinical improvement was evaluated over a 24-week period using the 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS), the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36).

VAS scores were significantly better in the BioCollagen group as compared with the Placebo group at 24 weeks. More patients in the BioCollagen group reported exceeding 20% and 40% VAS improvements. The WOMAC and SF-36 scores were also significantly improved from baseline after the intra-articular injection of atelocollagen; although, the differences between the BioCollagen and Placebo groups were not significant. There were no unexpected or severe adverse events reported for either group.

The results show that an intra-articular injection of atelocollagen effectively alleviates knee pain, as intended. Therefore, the intra-articular injection of atelocollagen can be considered an alternative solution to controlling knee pain due to osteoarthritis and diverse cartilage defects.