Arthritis

A single injection of a new, off-the-shelf stem cell therapy for knee osteoarthritis significantly improved pain and function for up to 12 months in 75% of participants in a clinical trial. The treatment has the potential to prevent the disease's progression.

Damage to knee cartilage and bone can limit mobility and cause chronic pain. Now, researchers have developed an off-the-shelf synthetic ‘plug’ that heals the joint and could be an alternative to current treatments like total knee replacement surgery.

A clinical trial will soon commence investigating whether nose cartilage can be used to regenerate knee joints that have been severely worn down by osteoarthritis. If successful, the procedure could be an alternative treatment for the condition.

A drug currently used as a second- or third-line treatment for those with rheumatoid arthritis has shown huge promise as a preventative, stopping the onset of the debilitating and painful disease in 92.8% of at-risk participants after 12 months.

In 2023, researchers were focused on better understanding the disease process underlying arthritis, and the treatment and relief of symptoms. Here are the year’s top arthritis stories appearing on New Atlas.

For the first time, scientists have found how our internal body clocks that govern the brain and skeletal system sync up, and upsetting this balance might contribute to injury and accelerate age-related bone and joint decline and disease.

They’ve been approved in the US since 2012, but Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors are still the new kid on the block in terms of rheumatoid arthritis treatment. A new study lays to rest the doubts some had over their effectiveness beyond clinical trials.

Researchers have developed a 3D organ-on-a-chip that mimics the human joint. The discovery will help researchers understand the pathology of joint diseases better and assist with the development and testing of new treatments for arthritis.

Researchers have called for a review of the recommendations for the treatment of hand arthritis, after a large study revealed that injections were as ineffective as a placebo for pain relief. Injections are considered the most effective pain reliever.

In a world first, Budapest Zoo gorilla Liesel has received stem-cell therapy for her arthritis. It's hoped that this groundbreaking procedure, which aims to rejuvenate her damaged joint cartilage, will not just help her but be adapted for human use too.

Scientists investigating new treatments for hand osteoarthritis have made promising new inroads through research on a drug originally developed for acne and psoriasis, with work now underway to ascertain its potential as a new clinical therapy.

A common diabetes drug has been linked to a reduction in the need for joint replacement surgery. The observational study suggests the drug could be helpful for patients with osteoarthritis, although further clinical work is needed to validate the association.