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How effective is Cartrophen Vet?

Cartrophen Vet is subject to strict scrutiny for safety and efficacy by the regulatory authorities in every country it is sold. As of March 2011, Cartrophen is registered in 18 countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, France*, Germany, Poland, Denmark, Ireland, Finland, The Netherlands*, Belgium*, Austria*, Norway, Iceland, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, New Zealand and Australia.
(* Cartrophen Vet is registered as Anarthron in these countries).

During clinical studies Cartrophen Vet has shown to be effective in 80% of cases (Francis and Read, 1993; Cullis-Hill and Ghosh, 1994; Bouck et al, 1995; Read et al, 1996; Smith et al 2001). In a recent Japanese open clinical study, according to the veterinarians' impression, 96% of cases improved with Cartrophen Vet treatment (Data on file at Biopharm Australia Pty Ltd).

Cartrophen Vet has shown to be an effective arthritis treatment during over 20 years of commercial use and millions of administered doses.

How quickly does Cartrophen Vet work?

In a comparator study between Cartrophen Vet and the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) carprofen, Cartrophen Vet was shown to have results equal or superior to that of carprofen in the relief of pain and lameness in clinical trials that are. This is the first time a disease modifying osteoarthritis drug (DMOAD) has been proven to offer significant pain relief comparable to that afforded by NSAIDs. Cartrophen Vet has a slightly slower onset of ameliorating effects but longer persistence of these after the recommended four-week course of treatment (Smith et al., 2001).

Cartrophen in the horse

Cartrophen Vet (100mg/mL of pentosan polysulfate sodium or PPS) has been used in the horse for over 20 years at 2 - 2.5mg/kg of PPS (10mL vial per 400-500kg horse) and has shown to be a dependable and safe product. Currently, Cartrophen Vet is registered for the horse in Australia, New Zealand and U.A.E, while the concentrated formulation, Cartrophen Equine Forte (4mL vial of 250mg/mL of PPS) is registered in New Zealand and U.A.E. It is indicated as an aid in the treatment for non-infectious inflammatory joint disease including osteoarthritis.

Pentosan polysulfate is receiving recognition for its positive role in treating equine arthritis and traumatic joint disease. With many of the same metabolic pathways as in dogs, Cartrophen has a positive role to play in effective treatment of OA in horses. At the 2008 International Congress of World Equine Veterinary Association Dr C McIlwraith of the University of Colorado State said the following about pentosan polysulfate.

“Recent work from our laboratory has demonstrated favourable results. Using the osteochondral fragment-treadmill model of equine OA in the carpus, there was significant decrease in articular cartilage fibrillation and a strong trend for overall cartilage histologic appearance (modified Mankin Score). Furthermore, most other parameters showed numerical improvements (including lameness, joint flexion, synovial fluid, TP, synovial fluid collagen degradation products and aggrecan synthesis) although statistical significance less than 0.05 were not obtained” (McIlwraith, 2008).

 

Further Information
Cartrophen Equine Forte DMOAD Brochure – The DMOAD brochure provides further overview of Cartrophen Equine Forte - Download PDF

 

Clinical trial in the horse

Clinical trial data shows that horses administered Cartrophen once a week for 4 weeks at an average dose of 2.2mg/kg had improved lameness and pain scores during treatment (Weeks 2, 3 and 4) and two weeks after treatment (Week 6). According to the veterinarian's and owner's impression of treatment, at least 60% of cases responded positively to the treatment (Data on file, Biopharm Australia Pty Ltd).

Affinity for cartilage

Pentosan polysulfate (calcium salt) at 2mg/kg was administered by intramuscular injection into six healthy horses in a university study. Synovial fluid was collected from the mid-carpal joint at 4 hours post-injection. The mean concentration in synovial fluid was 0.6μg/mL, which on the basis of published studies, falls in the range reported to stimulate chondrocyte synthesis of proteoglycans and fibroblast synthesis of hyaluronan. This concentration may also be sufficient to inhibit neutral metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 and increase tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-3. It was proposed that pentosan polysulfate bound to connective tissues acts as a reservoir for the drug meaning that pentosan polysulfate does not need to be present constantly in the plasma to achieve its effects (Fuller et al., 2002).

 

REFERENCES

Bouck GR, Miller CW and Taves CL (1995). A comparison of surgical and medical treatment of fragmented coronoid process and osteochondritis dissecans of the canine elbow. V.C.O.T. 8: 177-183

Cullis-Hill D and Ghosh P (1994). Joint Convention of L'Ordre des. Medicins veterinaries du Quebec and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, Quebec City, Canada, July 6-9

Francis DJ and Read RA (1993). Pentosan polysulphate as a treatment for osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) in dogs. Aust. Vet. Practit. 23(2):104-109

Fuller CJ, Ghosh P, Barr ARS (2002) Plasma and synovial fluid concentrations of calcium pentosan polysulphate achieved in the horse following intramuscular injection. Equine vet J. 34(1): 61-64.

Read RA, Cullis-Hill D and Jones MP (1996). Systemic use of pentosan polysulfate in the treatment of osteoarthritis. J.Small Anim Pract. 37: 108-114

McIlwraith CW (2008) What the equine practitioner needs to know about the biochemical manipulation of equine joint disease, 10th International Congress of World Equine Veterinary Association.

Smith JG, Hannon RL, Brunnberg L, Gebski V, Cullis-HiII D (2001) A Randomised double blind comparator clinical study of the efficacy of sodium pentosan Polysulfate injection and carprofen capsules in arthritic dogs, Journal of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International, 9(b):S21-S22