Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disease, causing cartilage breakdown that leads to pain, stiffness, and reduced function in the hips, knees, hands, and spine. There are currently no treatments proven to slow the structural deterioration — finding a disease-modifying therapy is one of the biggest unmet needs in musculoskeletal medicine.
What's actually going on in research
Drugs targeting inflammatory pathways including IL-1, IL-6, and nerve growth factor (NGF) are in trials, with NGF inhibitors showing meaningful pain relief before safety concerns slowed their development. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), stem cell injections, and other regenerative approaches are being rigorously compared against placebo in sham-controlled trials to separate real benefit from expectation. Gene therapy approaches aim to deliver anti-inflammatory proteins directly into joints to provide sustained relief without repeated injections.
NGF inhibitor pain relief
Nerve growth factor inhibitors block a key pain signal in osteoarthritis. Trials are re-examining them at lower doses to balance pain reduction against rare side effects seen at higher doses.
Regenerative injections
Platelet-rich plasma and mesenchymal stem cell injections are being compared head-to-head against placebo and corticosteroids to establish which regenerative approach offers genuine structural or pain benefit.
Gene therapy for joints
Injecting genes that produce anti-inflammatory proteins directly into arthritic joints is being tested in early trials as a way to provide prolonged relief from a single treatment.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically requires a specific joint affected (knee, hip, hand), radiographic confirmation of OA, pain severity thresholds, and sometimes body mass index limits.
What types of trials are currently open
- Drug trials — Testing anti-inflammatory drugs, pain medications, or disease-modifying agents to slow cartilage loss.
- Injection trials — Comparing intra-articular injections including PRP, stem cells, hyaluronic acid, and corticosteroids.
- Device trials — Evaluating joint unloading braces, orthotics, and implantable devices for pain and function.
- Surgical trials — Comparing joint replacement timing, surgical techniques, and cartilage repair approaches.
- Rehabilitation trials — Testing exercise programs, physical therapy protocols, and weight management interventions.
Recently added Osteoarthritis trials
Outcomes of Surgical Treatment Using a Custom-made Device for Total Ankle and Talar Replacement in the Management of Severe Cases of Bone Loss or Bone Compromise: a Pilot Study.
On February 17th, 2021, the FDA officially approved the use of the first patient-specific 3D-printed talar implant for compassionate use. This is a patient-specific talar spacer designed to completely replace the talus for the treatment of talar avascular necrosis. The implant represents an alternative to other surgical procedures that allows joint preservation. Recently, at the First Clinic of the Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, a prosthetic device has been developed that combines the tibial and meniscal components of a FAR-type ankle prosthesis (Adler Ortho) with a total talus replacement implant. Since the device is patient-specific and implanted using custom-made cutting guides, it reduces surgical invasiveness on surrounding bone structures as well as on ligamentous and tendinous structures, thereby preserving ankle function as much as possible. The customization is based on a next-generation prosthetic model produced using additive manufacturing technology and featuring hypoallergenic properties, as it is made of a titanium alloy and treated with a nitriding process. The aim of this study is therefore to evaluate the outcomes of this prosthetic device over time.
High-Energy Laser in the Conservative Treatment of Rhizarthrosis: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Clinical Study
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that can affect the hands and is particularly debilitating when it involves the trapeziometacarpal joint (rhizarthrosis). It causes pain, deformity, limited movement and strength, joint instability, resulting in significant limitations in daily activities.Many conservative treatments, such as medications, therapeutic exercises, physical therapy, and orthoses, are effective for managing hand OA. For patients who do not respond to conservative treatments, surgical intervention will be necessary.
Find Osteoarthritis trials matched specifically to you
Answer 3 quick questions and we'll show you trials that fit your situation.