City St George’s University and Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals Launch Clinical Partnership to Evaluate Novel Osteoarthritis Injectable Treatment

City St George’s and Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals partner to study iPPS, a drug candidate targeting bone marrow lesions to treat chronic osteoarthritis pain.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 1, 2026, 11:51 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from City St George’s, University of London

Addressing the Global Burden of Osteoarthritis Pain

Osteoarthritis remains a pervasive health challenge, impacting approximately ten million residents in the United Kingdom and over 600 million individuals on a global scale. While conventional medical understanding has long focused on the degradation of joint cartilage as the primary source of discomfort, researchers at City St George’s, University of London, are shifting the narrative toward deeper structural issues. Their work identifies bone marrow lesions, described as fluid-filled ruptures within the bone, as a critical and often overlooked driver of chronic pain. This realization has sparked a strategic partnership with Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals to investigate whether targeted pharmaceutical intervention can mitigate these painful lesions.

Investigating the Molecular Mechanics of iPPS

The centerpiece of this collaboration is injectable pentosan polysulfate sodium, or iPPS, a semi-synthetic drug derived from beechwood hemicellulose. This candidate is engineered to act as a glycosaminoglycan mimetic, designed to interfere with the NF-κB protein complex that governs inflammatory responses. By blocking this specific pathway, researchers believe the drug can suppress inflammation across multiple joint tissues, including the cartilage, the bone, and the synovial lining. According to the research team, understanding these molecular interactions is essential for confirming if iPPS can offer a more comprehensive solution than existing palliative treatments that only address superficial symptoms.

Advanced Imaging and Tissue Profiling Techniques

The study employs a sophisticated diagnostic approach that integrates high resolution MRI scans with detailed gene and protein profiling. By analyzing biopsies taken from patients undergoing total knee replacement surgery, the team at City St George’s can observe microscopic changes in bone tissue with unprecedented clarity. Professor Nidhi Sofat, a leading rheumatologist in the School of Health and Medical Sciences, emphasizes that this integrated technology allows her team to track how bone marrow lesions behave when exposed to the drug. This level of detail is expected to provide a definitive look at whether the pharmaceutical candidate can actually reverse the damage seen in advanced osteoarthritis.