One injection could keep osteoarthritis drugs working for weeks
Scientists have created an injectable gel that can remain inside arthritic joints for weeks, slowly releasing medication while also improving lubrication. The approach could make it easier to deliver disease-modifying drugs directly where they are needed while limiting exposure elsewhere in the body.
Scientists at the University at Buffalo have created an injectable hydrogel to keep osteoarthritis treatments inside the joint for longer periods than traditional injections. After a single minimally invasive injection, the hydrogel transforms from a liquid into a smooth, lubricating semisolid material at body temperature. It can remain in the joint for several weeks, gradually releasing drug-loaded nanocarriers.
Osteoarthritis, a leading cause of chronic pain and disability, often requires short-lived treatments that don't effectively slow the disease's progression. Current treatments are also prone to rapid clearance from joint fluid and difficulty delivering high concentrations of hydrophobic drugs without affecting the whole body. The hydrogel platform aims to solve these problems by concentrating therapeutic compounds in the joint and releasing them gradually.
It combines a biocompatible polymer matrix with drug-loaded nanocarriers designed to carry high amounts of poorly soluble therapeutic compounds. The system uses materials with prior regulatory acceptance, facilitating potential clinical translation. Once inside the joint, the medication is released through diffusion and hydrogel matrix relaxation, providing controlled local exposure for weeks.
Researchers validated the approach using a SIRT6 activator, and the platform can be adapted to deliver other hydrophobic disease-modifying compounds. Longer lasting drug delivery and joint lubrication are potential advantages. The hydrogel can serve as both a sustained-release drug delivery system and a viscosupplement, improving joint lubrication while targeting the disease's biological processes.
It can carry poorly soluble drugs at high concentrations and be adapted for various therapeutic payloads and joint applications, primarily for knee osteoarthritis. The same technology may also benefit post-traumatic OA, intervertebral disc degeneration, rotator cuff degeneration, and localized delivery of other hydrophobic drug candidates.
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- One injection could keep osteoarthritis drugs working for weeks sciencedaily.com
