Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:PAR) has added AFL legend Greg ‘Diesel’ Williams to its growing list of elite sportspeople benefiting from pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS) for osteoarthritis.
Williams, who is in his early 50s, reduced osteoarthritis pain levels in his knees by circa 80% after he was treated by his doctor with PPS.
As well as reducing pain, the PPS has reduced knee swelling, which helped reduce discomfort after exercise and dramatically improved knee function.
READ: Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals eyes opportunities to treat osteoarthritis
During his AFL career with Geelong, Sydney Swans and Carlton, the dual Brownlow medallist had several knee injuries and a number of arthroscopic procedures.
He developed osteoarthritis with concurrent bone marrow lesions and did not respond to the current standard of care treatments.
Treated with injectable PPS
His doctor then treated him with injectable PPS twice a week for four weeks.
Williams said: “Before treatment with PPS, my knee was so bad that the doctors were talking about a total knee replacement.
“The pain was so great that I couldn’t even drive properly, it hurt so much even to press down on the accelerator.
“Now my pain levels have reduced by around 80% and I really don’t have any pain at all.
“My movement has also improved tremendously, I can bend properly and squat.
“I can also play tennis and golf regularly, something I couldn’t do before my treatment with the drug.”
Paradigm is repurposing PPS
Paradigm is focused on repurposing PPS, an FDA-approved drug that has a long track record of safely treating inflammation.
It is repurposing PPS for a number of applications with a focus on the treatment of orthopaedic and viral arthritic indications.
Treatment of past and present elite sportspeople is under the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s Special Access Scheme, demonstrating the unmet medical need in treating the condition.
Sportspeople at much higher risk
Over the past 12 months, circa 40 sportspeople have been successfully treated with an average reduction in pain scores of more than 50%.
Osteoarthritis affects as much as 13% of the world’s population with more than 75% of patients reporting the need for additional symptomatic treatment.
In the U.S. alone it affects in excess of 30 million people, which is expected to rise significantly with an ageing population.
Sports which involve running, pivoting, twisting and turning such as football, rugby, soccer and basketball put participants at a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis compared to the general population.
PPS is neither a steroid nor opioid, allowing for its approval in professional sports, and it is also non-addictive and free of debilitating side effects.
READ: Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals ahead of schedule with trials
In 2018, Paradigm’s arthritis program will be reporting on two phase II randomised double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trials investigating PPS in treating arthritis.
Paradigm will also be continually reporting on real world evidence of people with osteoarthritis being treated with PPS.