Long-Term Efficacy Following Intra-articular Injection of Carboxymethyl-chitosan, a New Product Class for Knee Osteoarthritis: Results from an Observational Study in Germany.

Abstract

Evaluate the real-world efficacy of a single intra-articular injection of carboxymethyl-chitosan (CM-chitosan), a new product class for knee osteoarthritis (OA). This post-marketing study included adult patients with knee OA, who received a single injection of 60mg CM-chitosan (currently marketed as KioMedinevsone) according to the instructions for use. Follow-up was performed at weeks1, 12, 24, and 36. Efficacy was evaluated using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score for pain, the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Patient's Global Assessment (PGA), and overall patient satisfaction. Forty-nine patients were included in the study. VAS pain score significantly decreased from a median of 49.0mm at baseline to 24.0mm at week1 and to 18mm at week36. Pain improvement was stable since at week36; 91.8% of patients confirmed pain reduction. All KOOS subscales (symptoms, pain, activities of daily living, sports and recreational activities, quality of life) improved significantly compared to baseline at all time points. KOOS pain improved progressively from a median of 58.3% at baseline (mean 56.2 ± 18.8%) to 86.1% (mean 74.1 ± 24%) at week36 compared to baseline. Overall, more than 70% of patients reported a condition gain (PGA), matching well with the more than 75% of patients being satisfied with the treatment. At 6months, 72.7% of the patients could be classified as responder according to the OMERACT-OARSI proposed set of responder criteria. CM-chitosan showed a rapid onset of pain relief after 1week and with a duration of 9months. In a real-world setting, treatment with CM-chitosan would appear to be a potentially effective option to reduce pain and improve physical function and global condition in patients with knee OA, opening new perspectives in patients who are considered as refractory to current symptomatic therapies and where the unmet need is high. NCT04757051 (ClinicalTrials.gov).