Bioiberica Release: New Study Finds Chondroitin Sulfate Superior To Celecoxib For Delaying The Progression Of Knee Osteoarthritis

BARCELONA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bioiberica is pleased to share the positive results of the MOSAIC Study (24 MOnth study on Structural changes in knee osteoarthritis Assessed by MRI with Chondroitin sulfate) regarding the use of chondroitin sulfate for knee osteoarthritis as published in the Arthritis Research and Therapy journal.

“This data proves that chondroitin sulfate may delay the advance of osteoarthritis in the long term”

For the first time in a 2-year randomized controlled trial using quantitative MRI (qMRI), the study concluded that chondroitin sulfate CS b-Bioactive® is superior to an anti-inflammatory drug (celecoxib) for delaying the progression of knee osteoarthritis.

The MOSAIC Study was a multicenter, randomized, double blind, controlled and comparative study analyzing chondroitin sulfate and celecoxib. Lasting more than three years, the study was carried out in five medical centers in Quebec (Canada) in collaboration with Bioiberica. The study recruited 194 patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis with inflammation (synovitis) and moderate pain. Participants were divided into two groups: the first group received 1,200 mg of pharmaceutical grade chondroitin sulfate (CS b-Bioactive®, made by Bioiberica) per day, while the second group received 200 mg of celecoxib (made by Pfizer) per day, over a two-year period. The participants underwent three Quantitative Magnetic Resonance scans: one at the beginning of the study, a second one after one year, and a third one at the end of the study. The main aim was to assess the effects of chondroitin sulfate and celecoxib over the loss of cartilage volume in knee osteoarthritis after 24 months by means of Quantitative Magnetic Resonance.

“There has been much talk about the efficacy of chondroitin sulfate in osteoarthritis and we believed that it was about time to use the latest imaging techniques available to assess its efficacy. Osteoarthritis is characterized by the progressive wear and tear of the cartilage, and the magnetic resonance technique allows one to precisely assess the loss of cartilage, and therefore, the disease’s progression. This is one of main features of this long term study” explained the lead investigator in the study, Professor Pelletier¹.

The results revealed that the progression of knee osteoarthritis is slower in patients receiving chondroitin sulfate CS b-Bioactive®. More precisely, this group experienced statistically significantly less cartilage volume loss starting the first year of treatment and extending to two years, in comparison with those patients who received the anti inflammatory drug. “This data proves that chondroitin sulfate may delay the advance of osteoarthritis in the long term”, affirmed Professor Pelletier.

The study also evaluated the effects of both drugs on the disease’s symptoms. Specifically, the study evaluated their effects on pain, function, stiffness, joint efflux and swelling; concluding that both treatments were equally efficient across the entire study, reaching a clinically relevant symptoms improvement of around 50%. “The study confirmed that both drugs are effective for the treatment of osteoarthritis symptoms, although only chondroitin sulfate has the additional advantage of exerting a joint protection effect”, concluded Professor Pelletier1.

CS b-Bioactive® is Bioiberica's pharmaceutical grade chondroitin sulfate for use in premium joint health supplements. It is the most researched chondroitin sulfate on the market, the benchmark and the highest quality one available. In the United States, it is used in Cosamin DS joint health supplements, among others.

¹ MD; Professor of Medicine, University of Montreal, Director, Osteoarthritis Research Unit, University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada.