New gene discoveries offer hope for osteoarthritis treatments, faster drug development

Researchers have uncovered hundreds of genes associated with osteoarthritis, offering a potential breakthrough in the development of new and repurposed treatments for the condition. These discoveries could also pave the way for more personalized care and expedite drug development.

Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, affects roughly one in five American adults, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Currently, there is no treatment that targets the root causes of the disease, and available medications only help manage symptoms such as joint pain, stiffness, and limited mobility, according to the scientific website.

To better understand the genetic factors behind osteoarthritis, which is projected to affect 1 billion people worldwide by 2050, an international team of researchers conducted the largest genome-wide association study to date. The study, which analyzed genetic data from nearly 2 million individuals, including 500,000 people with osteoarthritis and 1.5 million controls, identified 962 genetic markers linked to the disease, with 513 of them previously unreported. The findings were published in Nature.

“This groundbreaking research highlights hundreds of potential drug targets and offers exciting opportunities to repurpose existing medications approved for other conditions,” said Marc C. Hochberg, MD, MBA, a study co-author and Professor Emeritus at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

In addition to identifying key genetic markers, the study also found 700 genes strongly linked to osteoarthritis, 10 per cent of which are already targeted by approved drugs. This provides an opportunity to repurpose these drugs for arthritis treatment.

“This brings us closer to accelerating the development of more effective treatments for osteoarthritis,” said study leader Eleftheria Zeggini, PhD, from Helmholtz Munich.

The findings could also help tailor treatment strategies and improve clinical trial designs, though the study primarily involved individuals of European descent, pointing to the need for broader participation to uncover genetic variations in other populations.

By Naila Huseynova