New jab reverses pain of arthritis

A JAB that zaps old cells in joints could reverse osteoarthritis.

The drug, called UbX0101, removes ‘senescent’ cells — cells that stop dividing and accumulate in the joints, where they release inflammatory compounds thought to worsen the condition.

Researchers from johns Hopkins University in the U.S. injected UbX0101 into mice joints and found it led to a 50 per cent drop in senescent cells, while genes involved in new cartilage growth were activated after treatment. Laboratory tests on human cells also showed that new cartilage grows when senescent cells disappear.

A trial at Altoona Center for Clinical Research in the U.S. will now test the jab compared to a placebo in 40 patients with osteoarthritis.