Supartz is a joint fluid therapy approved for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) in the knee in patients who have responded poorly to non-pharmacologic therapy and simple analgesics. This drug is a clear, viscous liquid that is injected into the knee joint. It is designed to provide long-term pain relief by supplementing the body's natural synovial fluid, which is degraded due to OA. Supartz is administered by intra-articular injection once a week for a total of five injections.

There are an estimated 20 million individuals suffering from OA in the United States. A person's joints, most commonly the knees and hips, are affected by degeneration that causes them to be and painfully inflamed.

The effectiveness of Supartz was evaluated in 18 clinical studies involving more than 10,700 patients suffering from OA in the knee, including patients of a Japanese post-market survey. Since its introduction in Japan in 1987, over 100 million successful Supartz injections have been administered.

Adverse events associated with the use of sodium hyaluronate may include (but are not limited to) the following:

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• joint pain
• injection site reaction
• diarrhea
• headache
• nausea

Supartz (sodium hyaluronate) is similar to the body's natural synovial fluid, which helps joints function by acting as a lubricant and shock absorber. Supartz is purified to remove all detectable DNA, protein, and endotoxins. The clear liquid is injected directly into the knee joint.

For additional information on Supartz, please visit Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics.