Revolutionizing Arthritis Relief: Long-Acting Steroid Shows Promise

A Canadian biotech firm, Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals, reports promising results from a mid-stage trial of a long-acting steroid injection for knee arthritis, offering prolonged pain relief. Concurrently, research highlights statins' cardiovascular benefits during breast cancer radiotherapy and an experimental drug's potential in combating breast cancer bone metastases in mice.

A recent study is showing promise for arthritis patients suffering from knee pain. Researchers reported that a single injection of an experimental long-acting steroid, developed by Canadian biotech Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals, managed to ease arthritis pain in the knee for several months. This is a substantial improvement over current steroid injections, which typically only offer pain relief for a few weeks at most.

The successful results, published in The Lancet Rheumatology, came from a trial involving 318 adults suffering from knee osteoarthritis. Participants received either an injection of Eupraxia's extended-release drug EP-104IAR or a placebo. The study found that the drug provided significant pain relief and improved knee function up to 24 weeks after the injection.

Meanwhile, another study underscores the potential benefits of statins for breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. Statin drugs significantly reduced the likelihood of major adverse heart events in these patients, as reported in the Journal of the American Heart Association. An experimental drug is also showing a promising outcome in eliminating bone metastases in mice, potentially marking a significant breakthrough for breast cancer treatments.

(With inputs from agencies.)