Study indicates nanoparticles could help pain-relieving
osteoarthritis drugs last longer A novel study demonstrates that
using nanoparticles to deliver osteoarthritis drugs to the knee
joint could help increase the retention of the drug in the knee
cavity, and therefore reduce the frequency of injections
patients must receive. This research is being presented Oct. 23
27 at the 2011 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists
(AAPS) Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C.
Osteoarthritis affects 30 million Americans and is the most
common joint disorder. It is projected to affect more than 20
percent of the U.S. population by 2025. Aging, obesity and joint
injury can lead to osteoarthritis, which is characterized by
progressive erosion of articular cartilage (cartilage that
covers the bones). The disease can occur in all joints, most
often the knees, hips, hands and spine, and currently there are
no pharmacological treatments that halt the disease progression.
For large joints, a drug could be i