FDA has recently classed OA ‘a serious disease’.

Osteoarthritis represents an increasingly high economic burden (>2% GDP). In US annual medical costs associated with OA are $185B.

High and increasing prevalence: age/obesity. 50% lifetime risk.

OA will be the 4th leading cause of UK disability by 2020.

Activity limitations 80% – increased risk of early death.

Current therapies have small effect, costly and associated with life threatening adverse events.

Osteoarthritis is a chronic, painful, degenerative, progressive arthropathy that is one of the leading causes of pain and disability worldwide. It affects ~10% global population >60-years old ( Pereira 2011).

After many years of research to identify new anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids and NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are still the main agents used to control inflammation. Many patients rotate through several of these due to insufficient efficacy, adverse side effects and/or use unproven complementary therapies.

A significant unmet medical need continues to exist for pain relief associated with OA.

For more information on OA, please visit Versus Arthritis.