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Challenges and opportunities of pharmacological interventions for osteoarthritis: A review of current clinical trials
J P M Vrouwe1, J Burggraaf1,2, M Kloppenburg3,4
1Centre for Human Drug Research, Zernikedreef 8, 2333 CL, Leiden, the Netherlands.
Objective:
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common cause of disability in older adults, and leads to a huge unmet medical need, as no registered disease modifying OA drugs (DMOADs), but only symptomatic treatments, are available. New targets and compounds for these targets, are currently under investigation. The objective of this paper is to provide an overview of compounds under investigation for OA in phase II and III.
Design:
We performed a review of OA trials for pharmacological interventions registered on the National Library of Medicine ClinicalTrials.gov website with a completion date in 2017 or later.
Results:
The database search yielded 255 results, of which 184 studies were included in this review. These were structured in compounds targeting pain, immunomodulators, stem cell therapy, platelet rich plasma and DMOADs with cartilage and/or bone resorption modifying properties.
Conclusions:
The results provide an overview of the fields in development and may include future treatment options for OA, by which a registered DMOADs may become more than a utopic vista. Further knowledge on pathophysiology and new approaches of value-based drug development could be an opportunity for the optimization of drug development in OA.
Insights
Researchers reviewed clinical trials for osteoarthritis (OA) treatments. The study highlights emerging disease-modifying OA drugs (DMOADs) and other therapies that may offer future treatment options beyond symptom management.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Biomedical research
- Clinical trials
Background:
- Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of disability in older adults.
- Current OA treatments primarily manage symptoms, with a significant unmet need for disease-modifying drugs.
- No registered disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADs) are currently available.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of compounds investigated for osteoarthritis in Phase II and III clinical trials.
- To identify emerging therapeutic targets and pharmacological interventions for OA.
- To assess the landscape of OA drug development.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review of pharmacological interventions for OA was conducted.
- Trials were identified from the National Library of Medicine's ClinicalTrials.gov database.
- Studies with completion dates in 2017 or later were included, with 184 studies analyzed.
Main Results:
- The review included 184 studies from an initial search of 255 trials.
- Investigated compounds target pain, inflammation (immunomodulators), and include stem cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma.
- A significant focus is on DMOADs with cartilage and/or bone resorption modifying properties.
Conclusions:
- The findings offer insights into current OA treatment development.
- Emerging therapies hold promise for future OA management, potentially leading to the first registered DMOADs.
- Advancing OA pathophysiology knowledge and value-based drug development can optimize future treatment strategies.
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