Flex Biomedical Inc. (article preview from Start-Up )
Intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid, which mimics the lubricating properties of natural synovial fluid and lessens friction and pain in the osteoarthritic knee joint, has become increasingly popular for treating osteoarthritis. However, of the seven formulations available in the US, none have been proven clinically superior and they have only limited long-term benefit to the patient. Flex Biomedical Inc. is working to address these concerns with a single-injection synthetic polymer alternative to HA.
Osteoarthritis (OA), the progressive degeneration of the articular cartilage and synovial fluid in the joints of the knees, hips, extremities such as the hands and ankles, and spine, is one of the largest unmet clinical needs in health care today. An estimated 27 million US adults have OA, up from 21 million in 1990, according to statistics from the American College of Rheumatology, with prevalence forecast to double by 2020. What's more, according to a 2008 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study, the lifetime risk of experiencing symptomatic knee OA, the most frequently diagnosed form of the disease, ...
