Australian scientists have identified an enzyme that destroys cartilage in mice and believe the find may lead to new drugs which stop cartilage joint deterioration and painful arthritis in humans. “We consider this to be a significant advance because until now we did not know what enzyme was doing the damage,” researcher Amanda Fosang from the University of Melbourne and Murdoch Childrens Research Institute told Reuters on Thursday. Fosang was confident that the same enzyme, ADAMTS5, would be involved with breaking down cartilage in humans.
