Supartz
The following drug information is obtained from various newswires, published
medical journal articles, and medical conference presentations.
General Information
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.
Clinical Results
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.
Side Effects
Adverse events associated with the use of sodium hyaluronate may
include (but are not limited to) the following:
- joint pain
- injection site reaction
- diarrhea
- headache
- nausea
Mechanism of Action
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.
Additional Information
