Paradigm Pharmaceutical has shown some impressive results in reducing bone marrow lesions and reducing pain in a phase 2b trial of their re-commercialized drug, Sodium Pentosan Polysulfate ( SPP ).

We covered SPP in a previous article, but here’s a quick wrap up:

SPP was invented in the 1940’s and has been used for interstitial cystitis, thrombi, and experimentally, Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, and various other infectious diseases.

The chondroprotective ( cartilage protecting ) aspects of this drug have been known since the 1980’s, and only recently did a Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals Limited decide to take this inexpensive drug through through the process of clinical trials for treatment of osteoarthritis on humans.

In this phase 2B clinical trial, patients were given a single injection, and followed over the course of 6 months. Pain levels were reduced significantly over placebo, and bone marrow lesions were reduced in size. The pain reduction benefit peaked at 2 months, but some benefit still remained at 6 months.

Bone marrow lesion reduction from the study

Reduction in KOOS pain in the study

Paradigm has raised significant amounts of capital to speed approval and commercialization of the drug – and some of the capital has came from some of the strangest places! According to the Financial Times, many members of the the Australian Football League have decided to put their own cash into the company, after seeing PPS experimentally tested on their teammates.

Paradigm is shooting for FDA Fast track approval for the therapy, and we wish them the best, because those suffering of painful osteoarthritis could have used this yesterday!

You can see Paradigm’s release of the trial data here