Promising results as Paradigm repurposes drug for osteoarthritis

Promising results as Paradigm repurposes drug for osteoarthritis

First published on STOCKHEAD – November 3rd, 2017

A

s the Australian pharmaceutical sector plans a crackdown on opioid oversupply to consumers, Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals (ASX:PAR) has released its progress results on repurposed thrombotic agent Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium (PPS) for the treatment of degenerative osteoarthritis and bone marrow edema lesions.

The injectable therapeutic is often used among athletes with acute knee injuries such as the dreaded torn ACL.

But Paradigm chief Paul Rennie says there is a much bigger market: an ageing and overweight population for whom osteoarthritis is a very real threat.

Osteoarthritis treatment now involves a lot of painkillers that aren’t effective enough, tend to cause heart and gastrointestinal problems and can cause ligament hardening and bone thinning.

Opioids are often prescribed for the pain — but they are addictive and only work temporarily until the dosage needs to be increased.

Australian medical authorities are now tightening opioid prescription. Many public health and medical authorities regret that the pharmaceutical was ever used outside the hospital setting.

About 19,000 hip replacements and 25,000 knee replacements are performed for osteoarthritis patients each year in Australia, costing about $475 million and $500 million respectively, Mr Rennie says.

Our increasing Body Mass Index means more stress on joints — which means we filling the health system with people in their 50s who can no longer work due to crippling osteoarthritis.

Paradigm hopes to get these people pain-free, and back into life without needing that joint replacement — potentially saving both patient and tax payer money in medication, time in the public health system, surgery, rehabilitation therapy and time off work…

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE