Development of a new hyaluronic acid-calcitonin conjugate for the local treatment of osteoarthritis

Salmon calcitonin (sCT) has been shown to exert beneficial metabolic actions on cartilage and bone turnover and may therefore be useful in the management of osteoarthritis (OA). A calcitonin-based oral treatment for knee OA recently failed to meet the primary endpoint for efficacy in a two-year placebo-controlled clinical trial, though demonstrating positive effects on pain and function. The objective of our project is to synthesize a new polymeric conjugate between hyaluronic acid (HA) and salmon calcitonin and to evaluate its potential as intra-articular treatment for OA.