While it’s not ready for prime time in human patients, a protein molecule called C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), which occurs naturally in the body, may eventually be used to treat osteoarthritis (OA). This protein, known to reduce inflammation and aid in the repair of damaged tissue, may one day be injected by general practitioners. The researchers, who hail from the Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), say that CNP can’t yet be used in humans because it cannot target the damaged area, is easily broken down, and cannot reach the diseased site.
Injectable Peptide to Treat OA?
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According to the January 21, 2014 news release, the researchers were led by Dr. Tina Chowdhury from QMUL’s School of Engineering and Materials Science. The team used an animal model and constructed tiny microcapsules, just two microns in diameter, with individual layers containing CNP that could release the protein slowly. One day, say the researchers, injections of microcapsules could in the future be used to heal damaged cartilage in people with osteoarthritis.
Dr. Chowdhury stated, “If this method can be transferred to patients it could drastically slow the progression of osteoarthritis and even begin to repair damaged tissue. CNP is currently available to treat other conditions such as skeletal diseases and cardiovascular repair. If we could design simple injections using the microcapsules, this means the technology has the potential to be an effective and relatively cheap treatment that could be delivered in the clinic or at home.”
Dr. Stephen Simpson, Director of Research at Arthritis Research UK said: “Current treatment options for osteoarthritis are limited, and therefore developing new ways to treat this painful and debilitating condition is currently a major area of research. The focus is not only about identifying promising new targets, as delivery of a drug to the appropriate site can often be as challenging as developing the treatment itself, and can hinder getting otherwise effective medicines to patients. This work represents a good example of how researchers are developing innovative new approaches to get around this problem.”
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This is a fascinating development. In my practice we've seen similar outcomes with the revised protocol. The key differentiator seems to be patient selection criteria. Has anyone else noticed the correlation with BMI thresholds?
Great point. I'd push back slightly on the conclusion, the sample size in the cited study is too small to draw population-level inferences. That said, the directional signal is compelling and worth a larger RCT.
We implemented a similar approach last year. Early results are promising but we're still gathering 12-month follow-up data. Happy to share our protocol if anyone is interested.
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