Mixed Data For Merck KGaA's Disease-Modifying OA Drug

German firm looking to partner sprifermin

09 Oct 2019

Sprifermin could be the first drug to affect the underlying disease process in osteoarthritis but data show no significant improvement in symptoms.

Knee_Pain — 10% of Americans over 60 years experience knee pain related to OA • Source: Shutterstock

No drugs are currently approved to treat the underlying cause of osteoarthritis but Merck KGaA is hoping that sprifermin, which has shown promise in mid-stage trials, could be the first disease-modifying therapy for the disabling condition.

The German group's hopes are based on results from FORWARD, a five-year, Phase II study of sprifermin, a recombinant human...

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