A disease-modifying osteoarthritis drug (DMOAD) is a

disease-modifying drug A disease-modifying treatment, disease-modifying drug, or disease-modifying therapy is a treatment that delays or slows the progression of a disease by targeting its Etiology, underlying cause. They are distinguished from symptomatic treatments that ...

that would inhibit or even reverse the progression of

osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis (OA) is a type of degenerative joint disease that results from breakdown of joint cartilage and underlying bone which affects 1 in 7 adults in the United States. It is believed to be the fourth leading cause of disability in the w ...

. Since the main hallmark of osteoarthritis is

cartilage Cartilage is a resilient and smooth type of connective tissue. In tetrapods, it covers and protects the ends of long bones at the joints as articular cartilage, and is a structural component of many body parts including the rib cage, the neck an ...

loss, a typical DMOAD would prevent the loss of cartilage and potentially regenerate it. Other DMOADs may attempt to help repair adjacent tissues by reducing inflammation. A successful DMOAD would be expected to show an improvement in patient pain and function with an improvement of the health of the joint tissues.

Approved for human use

There are currently no DMOADs approved for human use.

Drugs with undergoing human trials

Drugs under investigation

Gene therapy for osteoarthritis Gene therapy is being studied as a treatment for osteoarthritis (OA). Unlike pharmacological treatments which are administered systemically, gene therapy aims to establish sustained, synthesis of gene products and tissue rehabilitation within the j ...

is also being investigated as technology to create a drug that would act as a disease modifying drug. Several approved drugs are being investigated as repurposed agents in the treatment of osteoarhritis such as liraglutide (anti-diabetic and anti-obesity drug: NCT02905864), Metformin (anti-diabetic drug: NCT04767841, NCT05034029), Zoledronic acid (anti-osteoporotic drug: NCT04303026), etc.

Paroxetine Paroxetine, sold under the brand names Paxil and Seroxat among others, is an antidepressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class. It is used to treat major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder ...

has been deemed to have dmoad activity.

References

{{reflist Arthritis