First drug to 'slow' progression of arthritis

Arthritis patients could be given a £1 a day drug to delay progression of the disease and reduce the need for hip and knee replacements, a study has suggested. The drug Strontium ranelate, marketed as Protelos, is already used for people with the brittle bone disease, osteoporosis because it prevents the bone dissolving and stimulates new growth. However it has been found it can also slow the progression of osteoarthritis, the first drug to do so. The new findings, presented at the European Congress on Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis (ECCEO) in Bordeaux, France, showed that Protelos reduced deterioration of knee joint cartilage in a group of arthritis patients by a third over three years. It also led to a significant reduction in pain and improved day-to-day mobility. Experts said the findings were 'exciting' and could change the way arthritis is treated.