Evaluation of the efficacy of combined treatment of platelet-rich plasma and hyaluronic acid versus platelet-rich plasma alone for the treatment of osteoarthritis
Project objectives
Our study aims to introduce a new line of infiltrative conservative treatment combined with hyaluronic acid and PRP for the first degrees of osteoarthritis of the knee, hip, shoulder and ankle. This treatment, combining these two compounds, would exploit their main properties at the same time. The combination of HA and PRP could benefit different biological mechanisms. Viscosupplementary therapy with HA, in different concentrations and molecular forms, has the power to reduce pain, without however triggering reparative and/or anabolic processes on the articular cartilage and tendons. Infiltrative therapy with PRP, determines a reduction of the painful symptoms, an increase of the cellular anabolic activity, favoring the synthesis of neo-extracellular matrix, and reduces the catabolic and mucolytic activity on the matrix. The growth factors contained in PRP, in fact, are powerful cellular signals capable of inducing modifications of the gene expression of arthritic chondrocytes. However, PRP does not contain macromolecules, such as HA, capable of offering the viscosupplementation necessary for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA).
The development of a new formulation, which combines the HA and regenerative physical properties of PRP, starts from the in-depth study carried out in the Orthopedics Department ofUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma. The combination of PRP with HA allows to obtain a product superior to the medical devices, drugs and blood products currently available. Through an automated system that allows to combine autologous PRP with HA, a product that can be injected intra-articularly is obtained in a few steps. Through a single "one step" procedure, the injectable product in the joint could allow benefits superior to the infiltrative therapy with HA and PRP, combining the two effects, in a safe and highly repeatable way. HA and PRP have, in fact, been shown to reduce pain and improve functional activity in patients affected by the initial stages of OA thanks to their respective viscosupplementative and anti-inflammatory/anabolic properties. The instantaneous combination of the two drugs represents an element of novelty compared to the state of the art and the products currently on the market for the infiltrative treatment of OA.
Start and end date
08/09/2015 - In progress
Project managers
- Prof. Vincenzo Denaro
- Prof. Rocco Papalia
Coordinating institution of the project
Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma
Funding source
IBSA Farmaceutici Italia SRL
