Update on clinical trials of intra-articular disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs inducing cartilage regeneration

Osteoarthritis is the most common degenerative joint disease affecting millions of people in the world and leading to disability. Currently, the only available treatments on the market are symptomatic therapies for pain and inflammation. There are no intra-articular drugs that can restore the cartilage matrix, also known as disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADs). This review focuses on all clinical trials of pro-anabolic DMOADs, which stimulate the regeneration of the cartilage matrix by inducing the differentiation of mesenchymal progenitors into chondrocytes, a process known as chondrogenesis. This review also discussed some pathways of chondrocytes, which boost the transcription of genes involved in the production of extracellular matrix components. Finally, the review also covers some implants in the commercial and clinical phases for cartilage repair.