Chinese scientists say their hydrogel invention can treat most common form of arthritis
Material combines hydrogel microspheres and antibody targeting injured cartilage in ‘promising’ technique for treating osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, most commonly affects the knees, hips, spine and hands. It is a degenerative joint disease, in which the affected tissues break down over time, causing pain, swelling and stiffness that often reduce mobility.
Reduced lubrication of cartilage – the tissue that covers the ends where two bones meet to form a joint – is thought to be a major factor in triggering osteoarthritis. Therefore, scientists and clinicians around the world have been searching for biological lubricants that may slow the progression of the disease.
Scientists in Shanghai and the central Chinese city of Changsha now say they might have a solution.
A new material developed by the team can “precisely target damaged cartilage areas and provide lubrication protection,” a press release from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said on Wednesday.
The product is the result of a study co-led by researchers Li Jiusheng and Lu Hengyi of the CAS’ Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, along with spine surgery and orthopaedics clinician Wang Yunjia at the Xiangya government hospital in Changsha.
