Cartilage Targeting Therapies in Osteoarthritis: A Narrative Review

Mihaela Margea⁽¹⁾, Claudiu Avram^(1,2,*)

1)Medoptim, Timișoara, Romania
2)”Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Romania

Osteoarthritis, recognized as the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorder, represents a significant public health challenge as its impact
continues to escalate with an aging population and rising obesity rates. Due to its progressive character leading to chronic joint pain and
impaired physical function, osteoarthritis gains increasingly more attention in finding effective therapeutic strategies. Given the well-known
adverse reactions of orally administered drugs (e.g. non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as analgesics and corticosteroids), the
need for treatments that achieve a higher local concentration is evident. The literature surrounding novel osteoarthritis therapies reveals a
dynamic landscape of research aimed at addressing the limitations of traditional treatment modalities, which primarily concentrate on
symptom management rather than cartilage repair or regeneration. In this review, we summarized some of the recent advances in cartilage
targeting therapies, focusing on injection-based treatments for the osteoarthritic joints.

Keywords: osteoarthritis, cartilage repair, intra-articular injections, hyaluronic acid

Corresponding author(s): Claudiu Avram, ”Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, Romania, email: claudiu.avram@gmail.com