Knee osteoarthritis affects more than 14 million adults in the US, making it one of the most common causes of chronic pain and disability. Current treatment includes weight loss, physical therapy, pain medications, cortisone injections, and eventually joint replacement for severe cases. Most treatments manage symptoms rather than slow cartilage loss.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing drugs that may slow cartilage breakdown or stimulate repair, including injections of growth factors, stem cells, and anti-inflammatory biologics. Researchers are studying disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADs) that target specific cartilage-degrading enzymes. Other work focuses on nerve ablation for pain, platelet-rich plasma injections, and imaging biomarkers to track disease progression.
Disease-modifying drugs
Several experimental drugs aim to slow cartilage breakdown by blocking enzymes that destroy joint tissue. Early trials are testing whether these can delay the need for knee replacement.
Regenerative approaches
Stem cell and growth factor injections may stimulate cartilage repair. Trials are testing whether these work better than current injections like hyaluronic acid.
Nerve treatments
Ablating pain-sensing nerves around the knee offers months of relief without surgery. Studies are testing which patients benefit most and how long effects last.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on arthritis severity on X-ray, pain level, prior treatments tried, age, and body weight.
What types of trials are currently open
- Pain management trials — Testing new pain medications, nerve blocks, or radiofrequency ablation techniques to reduce knee pain without surgery.
- Injection trials — Testing stem cells, platelet-rich plasma, growth factors, or anti-inflammatory biologics injected directly into the knee joint.
- DMOAD trials — Testing drugs that may slow cartilage loss, tracking changes on MRI over months to years. These trials often require less severe arthritis.
- Device studies — Testing knee braces, insoles, vibration platforms, or electrical stimulation devices that may reduce pain or improve function.
- Surgical technique trials — Comparing different approaches to partial knee replacement, cartilage repair, or arthroscopic treatment.
Recently added Osteoarthritis, Knee trials
The Effect of Different Exercise Training Programs on Muscle Oxygenation in Individuals With Knee Osteoarthritis
Knee osteoarthritis can cause pain, reduced muscle strength, and difficulty with daily activities. Exercise is commonly used to manage knee osteoarthritis, but the effects of different exercise programs on muscle oxygenation are not fully understood. This study will compare three 6-week exercise programs in adults with knee osteoarthritis: aerobic exercise on a recumbent bicycle, lower-limb strengthening exercise, and a program combining aerobic and strengthening exercise. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the three groups. Each group will attend three supervised exercise sessions weekly for 6 weeks. All participants will also receive a home stretching program. Participants will be assessed before the program, at weeks 3 and 6, and again at week 10, after a 4-week period without supervised exercise. The study will examine whether the exercise programs improve muscle oxygenation and whether changes in muscle oxygenation are associated with changes in muscle strength, pain, and physical function. The investigators expect muscle oxygenation to improve after the exercise programs and expect these changes to be associated with improvements in clinical measures.
Autologous Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Injections for Knee Osteoarthritis
This multicenter, prospective, randomized, active-controlled, single-blind (assessor-blinded) clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intra-articular injection of autologous adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) compared with active comparator hyaluronic acid (HA) in patients with Kellgren-Lawrence grade II to III knee osteoarthritis. A total of 165 participants across 3 centers (Severance Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, Inha University Hospital) will be randomly allocated to either the ADMSC group (1.0 x 10\^8 cells, single injection) or the HA group (Synovian, 3 mL) in a 2:1 ratio and followed for 6 months post-injection.
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