The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a viscosupplement for osteoarthritis (OA) treatment. Current viscosupplementation treatment for arthritis is the injection of a thick fluid of hyaluronic acid into the joint to reduce pain and swelling. However, currently available viscosupplements only reside within the joint for a short amount of time and have inconsistent biological effects. The proposed technology provides a non-surgical treatment that imparts lubrication in the joint, is locally administered with minimal invasion, is relatively easy for clinicians to inject, remains within the joint space for a prolonged period of time, and also may be used to deliver controlled quantities of therapeutic drugs. Osteoarthritis affects 650 million individuals worldwide, with risk factors that include aging and injury. Patients with OA experience inflammation and joint pain, which ultimately affects their quality of life. In 2013, OA was the second most costly health condition treated at hospitals, costing upwards of $16.5 billion. Current treatment methods for osteoarthritis do not slow the progression of the disease and only mask the symptoms for a short period of time. The final option for patients is total joint replacement, resulting in a significant opportunity for an effective non-surgical treatment method that ameliorates patient pain and increases a patient’s quality of life. In addition, due to the technology’s ability to deliver a wide variety of OA therapeutics, clinicians may treat a broader demographic of patients with varying severities of osteoarthritis.

This I-Corps project is based on the development of polymer micron-sized hydrogels to use as a treatment for osteoarthritis (OA). Recent work has shown a strong in vitro-in vivo correlation of the lubricating abilities of viscosupplements and improved patient reported outcomes, suggesting that successful lubrication of articular cartilage is key to the therapeutic treatment of OA. The proposed technology is designed to provide proper lubrication of articular cartilage in in vitro OA models that is known to minimize cell death. Further, this technology has been shown to achieve the same lubrication as highly viscous solutions on the market while maintaining low viscosities, making the technology easier for clinicians to inject. In addition, studies of the proposed technology have demonstrated the uptake and release of a wide variety of therapeutic proteins, which may be leveraged for the delivery of disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.