A repurposed drug is delivering boom new results for osteoarthritis patients.
Carlton champion Marc Murphy is just one of hundreds enjoying pain relief and improved mobility.
7NEWS Australia speaks with Dr Phil Bloom from Sportsmed Biologic.
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What is PPS?
Pentosan Polysulphate Sodium (PPS) is a semi-synthetic drug manufactured in Europe to produce a product that mimics glycosaminoglycans (GAGs).
These complex carbohydrates have a regulatory role in the body through interacting with proteins involved with inflammation. PPS also has a mild antithrombotic (anti-clotting) activity.
PPS has been examined in safety studies across several species of animals to humans for more than 50 years. It has been used for over 30 years in Europe, treating patients with irritable bladder problems and as an anti-clotting agent.
Australian company Paradigm Biopharma is currently performing trials in Australia using PPS for the treatment of bone marrow edema (BME) affecting the knees and lower back, respiratory disease (Allergic Rhinitis), and alphaviral arthritis (Ross River Virus). It is not registered in Australia by the Therapeutic Goods Authority (TGA) for general use but is available through the government “Special Access Scheme”.
Learn more about eligibility and cost
More information on PPS can be found here.