Latest news with #painRelief
Associated Press
09-07-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
South Florida Vascular Associates Introduces Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE) for Knee Osteoarthritis Relief
Summary: South Florida Vascular Associates introduces Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE) as a treatment option for knee osteoarthritis, offering a faster recovery, reduced pain, and an alternative to surgery. Coconut Creek, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - July 9, 2025) - South Florida Vascular Associates recently announced the launch of Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE), a minimally invasive procedure designed to alleviate pain associated with knee osteoarthritis (OA). This innovative treatment provides patients with alternative means of managing chronic knee pain before considering invasive options, such as surgery. The launch of GAE aligns with South Florida Vascular Associates' commitment to offering advanced, image-guided procedures that address the growing need for non-invasive treatments. GAE allows for a quicker recovery time, with most procedures taking only 60 to 90 minutes, enabling patients to return home the same day. This aligns with the growing demand for outpatient treatments, which offer patients a convenient and cost-effective option for relief without the downtime typically associated with surgery. Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is a widespread condition that has been on the rise for decades. While it is often associated with an aging population, changes in lifestyle and activity factors have also led to younger adults developing OA. By introducing GAE, South Florida Vascular Associates aims to help more people and ensure they lead more fulfilling lives. As part of its approach to offering this new procedure, South Florida Vascular Associates has ensured that all staff members are fully trained in the latest techniques for GAE, enabling a seamless process for patients from initial consultation to post-procedure recovery. The clinic has also integrated the procedure into its existing workflow to ensure consistent, high-quality care across all stages of treatment. South Florida Vascular Associates has reiterated its commitment to continually improving its services by evaluating new image-guided techniques. In addition to staying current with medical advancements, the practice is committed to integrating techniques that align with its goals of safety, outpatient care, and oversight. The practice believes that this will help patients avoid invasive procedures and, more importantly, unnecessary hospital visits. Additionally, South Florida Vascular Associates, through its founder, Dr. William Julien, emphasizes the importance of ongoing procedural development, particularly in the field of interventional medicine. The technology is continually improving, and the vascular interventional physician believes this is good news for patients. While this involves adding services for business and is often part of their internal growth, the clinic points out that the primary goal should be improving patient care. As knee osteoarthritis continues to affect millions of people, the introduction of GAE by South Florida Vascular Associates represents a significant step forward in providing patients with a more accessible and less invasive treatment option. With GAE, patients now have a viable alternative to traditional surgery, offering them hope for a more comfortable, pain-free future. About South Florida Vascular Associates: South Florida Vascular Associates has been serving patients in need of vascular care for more than 20 years. The clinic offers minimally invasive treatments, including uterine, prostate, and varicocele embolization, and is committed to patient safety, leveraging technology to provide advanced and efficient treatments. Media Contact: [ This image cannot be displayed. Please visit the source: ] To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: Company Name: South Florida Vascular Associates Contact Person: Roco Julien Phone: (954) 725-4141 Address: 5300 W Hillsboro Blvd, Suite 107 City: Coconut Creek State: Florida Postal Code: Country: United States Website: To view the source version of this press release, please visit
News.com.au
26-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Health Check: Paradigm makes scenic acquisitive detour, but it's no strategic shift
Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals will spend up to $16.5 million on an oral drug asset, but stays focused on its phase III knee trial Percheron enters headline $450 million cancer drug acquisition Neurizon goes from solid to liquid with its motor neurone disease drug candidate Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals (ASX:PAR) is taking the acquisitive scenic route in its quest to develop an effective knee osteoarthritis treatment, but says it remains focused on its phase III knee trial. In a heavily back-ended deal, Paradigm will pay as much as $16.5 million to purchase Proteobioactives Pty Ltd. This company owns an early-stage oral candidate for minor to mild osteoarthritis (OA), called Pentacoxib. The proposed drug combines pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS) – Paradigm's core asset – with a COX-2 inhibitor (Coxib). The idea is to improve drug 'bioavailability': a shortcoming of many oral drugs. The deal expands Paradigm's remit into the OA-related pain market, such as hand OA, mild knee OA and the veterinary market (dogs and horses). Proof of concept data shows meaningful pain reduction in patients with hand and knee OA. 'Strategic alignment' Paradigm touts Pentacoxib as an alternative to existing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are 'not known to improve structures of the arthritic joint'. Paradigm dubs the purchase as a 'strategic alignment' with its core program, which is about developing its repurposed PPS (Zilosul) for moderate to severe knee OA. The acquired asset moves the company down the OA 'severity spectrum' and maintains Paradigm's focus on a non-opioid alternative. Proteobioactives was founded by Professor Peter Ghosh, who pioneered PPS research. The deal gives Paradigm exclusive global rights to develop and commercialise the PPS-Coxib combo for pain and inflammation. The acquisition enables 'potential expansion into earlier-stage disease segments where large unmet needs remain.' Now to the financial nitty gritty: The deal involves an upfront $500,000 in cash and a $1 million milestone payment on completion of a phase II trial. Paradigm pays a further $5 million on 'successful completion' of a phase III trial. A further $5 million is paid on US Food & Drug Administration approval. There's more! Another $5 million is due on the sale of an FDA registered product, 'as evidenced by the submission of a sales invoice, proof of delivery, or other relevant documentation". Keep your receipts guys! The deal is modest bet for Paradigm relative to its long-awaited phase III knee OA. The study in underway across up to 15 Australian and 50 US sites. Percheron finds a new purpose Having scoured for a new asset following the failure of its flagship clinical program, Percheron Therapeutics (ASX:PER) has settled on a Singapore-based cancer drug candidate. This is by way of an exclusive license agreement with Hummingbird Bioscience, for a monoclonal antibody therapy with potential applications in several cancers. Percheron hopes to start a clinical trial of the candidate, dubbed HMBD-002, next year. Percheron will pay Hummingbird an upfront US$ 3 million ($4.6 million), with contingent milestone payments of up to US$287 million ($443 million), plus royalties to boot. Naturally, the big bucks are later in the piece. Taking in the VISTA HMBD-002 targets a bodily agent called VISTA, as in 'v-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T-cell activation'. But we knew that already. A novel target, 'VISTA potentially represents a new mechanism to treat a diverse range of tumours.' HMBD-002 has passed a phase I trial in the US, which showed the agent to be 'pharmacologically active" and generally safe and well-tolerated. 'After the challenges of recent months, we are once again a mid-clinical stage drug development business,' says Percheron CEO Dr James Garner. The 'challenges' refer to two board spills – both unsuccessful – after the company's Duchenne muscular dystrophy trial proved an unmitigated flop. Percheron shares this morning rebounded as much as 30%, or one-third of a cent. Neurizon eyes easier drug delivery While Paradigm goes from liquid to solid, Neurizon Therapeutics (ASX:NUZ) is moving the other way with its drug candidate to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, a form of motor neurone disease). The liquid formulation of Neurizon's candidate NUZ-001 is designed to support patients with all stages of ALS, 'particularly those with swallowing difficulties such as bulbar onset'. The first manifestation of ALS, bulbar onset can lead to difficulties with speech (dysarthria), swallowing (dysphagia), and sometimes breathing. Neurizon will integrate the liquid form into its ongoing NUZ-001 program, starting with a human bioequivalence study in the first half of 2026. The company says the formulation resulted from direct feedback from patients and carers. 'As ALS progresses, patients face increasing challenges with day-to-day activities, including something as fundamental as swallowing,' Neurizon chief Dr Michael Thurn says. Rainforest foraging leads to cancer drug hope The private, eternal IPO candidate Qbiotics has reported 'highly encouraging' results from a phase II study of its cancer therapy sourced from the Daintree rainforest. The trial targets soft tissue sarcoma, a rare cancer that generally forms as a painless lump (tumour) in any one of the soft tissues in the body. Qbiotics' candidate, tigilanol tiglate activates a certain protein to stimulate the immune system and destroy tumours. In stage one of the trial, ten evaluable patients achieved an objective response rate of 80%, 'based on the best observed response". In other words, eight out of ten evaluable patients saw either complete ablation or partial ablation (more than 30% reduction in volume) of treated tumours. Also, 22 of the 27 injected tumours across all patients showed complete or partial ablation (14 showing complete ablation). None of the 14 completely ablated tumours recurred at 6 months, "indicating tigilanol tiglate may provide durable responses". 'Given soft tissue sarcoma is a challenging cancer to treat, achieving this level of clinical activity is highly encouraging," Qbiotics chief Stephen Doyle says. Now moving to expanded stage two, the trial is being carried out at New York's Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Eureka! moment Qbiotics founder Dr Gordon and her forest ecologist husband Dr Paul Reddell stumbled on the therapeutic benefits of tigilanol tiglate while fossicking in rainforest in the Atherton Tablelands of Far North Queensland. They observed that animals spat out the seed of the blushwood tree, pointing to a nontoxic deterrent preventing the critters from eating and thus destroying the seed.
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
These may be the 3 most effective non-drug ways to treat knee arthritis
A knee brace appears to be one of the more effective ways to treat the pain - as well as improve function and stiffness - from osteoarthritis, the common degenerative process where the cartilage cushioning the joint deteriorates over time. Researchers in China ranked the relative effectiveness of a dozen treatments, ranging from laser and ultrasound therapy to wedged insoles and kinesiology tape, studied in 139 randomized controlled trials. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. Based on the results from 9,644 participants, the simple knee brace ranked highest in effectiveness to alleviate symptoms of arthritis, the researchers concluded. However, 'the challenge,' said Prakash Jayabalan, the director of musculoskeletal research at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, 'is getting patients to actually wear knee braces.' Jayabalan and other clinicians who weren't involved in the study said knee braces can provide certain people immediate relief by supporting the load on the joint. But, some patients find braces uncomfortable to wear. Hydrotherapy and exercises such as weightlifting and yoga placed second and third in the meta-analysis ranking. Hydrotherapy, also known as water exercises or aquatherapy, is a treatment approach designed to improve symptoms. And experts said staying active and maintaining a healthy weight are the most effective ways to relieve symptoms of knee osteoarthritis. 'Both of those can improve symptoms and slow the progression of arthritis,' said Morgan Jones, a sports medicine orthopedic surgeon at Mass General Brigham. The peer-reviewed study published in PLOS One on Wednesday. It was led by Yuan Luo, a researcher in the department of rehabilitation at the First People's Hospital of Neijiang, China, who did not respond to questions by the time of publication. - - - What causes knee osteoarthritis? When cartilage in the knee breaks down, the joint is left with 'bone on bone motion,' Jayabalan said. Cartilage can't repair itself like other tissues in the body and, oftentimes, people don't know they've lost the cartilage in their knee until it's gone, he said. There are two common risk factors for knee arthritis - a previous knee injury such as an ACL tear and unhealthy weight gain, said Steve Messier, the director of the J.B. Snow Biomechanics Laboratory at Wake Forest University. Every pound of additional body weight amounts to four pounds of stress on the knees when a person is walking, Messier said. Once someone has arthritis in their knee, they need to make broad lifestyle changes with regular exercise to manage the pain, he said. 'It really doesn't matter what type of exercise you do, just so you're being active,' Messier said. 'They all will reduce pain.' Other clinicians agree staying active is one of the best ways to relieve knee arthritis pain. It's the first recommendation in guidelines published in 2019 from the Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Around 33 million U.S. adults have osteoarthritis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People commonly take NSAIDs such as ibuprofen to relieve the symptoms. But, these pain-relievers can damage the lining of your gut. Jayabalan said he recommends people use NSAIDs for no more than 10 days when they're experiencing 'debilitating pain' that is impacting their function. 'You should not be taking these every day,' he said. Knee replacements have long been the gold standard for damaged joints, but it can take up to a year for some people to fully recover from surgery. Emerging alternatives target the nerves to stop the knee pain and block blood flow to reduce inflammation. 'Two people can have the same amount of structural damage in their knee and have totally different pain profiles,' said Jones, also an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School. 'The decision for knee replacement ends up being really individualized, and the focus is on the person's symptoms.' - - - What did the study find? The knee brace ranked best on various scores of pain, stiffness and function, and had the 'highest probability of being the best technique,' the researchers wrote. Jones said a knee brace can be 'very effective' in people who have arthritis in certain compartments of the knee because the brace can shift the load to another part of the joint. 'But, if somebody has arthritis throughout their knee, an unloader brace is not as likely to be helpful,' he said. 'They don't have a more-normal area to off-load the force to.' The researchers compared a dozen interventions: low-level laser therapy, high-intensity laser therapy, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, interferential current, short wave diathermy, ultrasound, lateral wedged insole, knee brace, exercise, hydrotherapy, kinesio taping and extracorporeal shock wave therapy. Hydrotherapy ranked second in some scores. Water buoyancy takes pressure off the knee joints and helps improve range of motion for some people, Jayabalan said. Ultrasound pulse therapy to treat knee arthritis 'remains contentious' and performed the worst across multiple scores, the researchers wrote. And, they concluded that wedged insoles, which attempt to shift the load on the knee by lifting one side of the foot, did not 'outperform neutral devices in pain reduction.' Insoles used to be a popular therapy for knee osteoarthritis but 'multiple studies' have shown they don't help, Jones said. - - - The study's limitations Many of the studies in the meta-analysis are short, six to 12 weeks, Messier said. Therefore, the results support only short-term pain relief from these treatments. 'It may relieve pain for a little while, but it's not going to change pain in the long run,' Messier said. 'The most effective thing they have here is exercise.' Jayabalan said none of the studies are looking at whether the treatments led to mechanistic improvements in the knee - 'they were not regrowing cartilage, or something like that.' Instead, the studies recorded clinical observations that these treatments may provide a potential benefit. And, many of the randomized controlled trials were conducted on small groups of participants, Jones said. 'There's a lot of variability in the studies and how long they follow their patients,' he said. 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Washington Post
18-06-2025
- Health
- Washington Post
These may be the 3 most effective non-drug ways to treat knee arthritis
A knee brace appears to be one of the more effective ways to treat the pain — as well as improve function and stiffness — from osteoarthritis, the common degenerative process where the cartilage cushioning the joint deteriorates over time. Researchers in China ranked the relative effectiveness of a dozen treatments, ranging from laser and ultrasound therapy to wedged insoles and kinesiology tape, studied in 139 randomized controlled trials.
New York Times
10-06-2025
- Health
- New York Times
How Can I Avoid Swimmer's Ear?
Q: Last summer, my ear started feeling itchy and really painful after swimming. How can I avoid it this year? Swimmer's ear is an infection of the ear canal that can plague water lovers and anyone else who sweats, showers or simply lives in a humid climate. Nearly 1 in 10 people will experience a bout of this infection in their lifetime. Summer, unsurprisingly, is prime time for swimmer's ear. Both children and adults can get swimmer's ear — and those who are immunocompromised, have diabetes or other underlying conditions are at greater risk of both getting it and having complications. Not to be confused with the annoying sensation of trapped water in your ear, acute swimmer's ear will get your attention quickly. 'It's exquisitely painful,' said Dr. Sapna Singh, a pediatrician and chief medical officer at Texas Children's Pediatrics in Houston. 'I've seen teenagers come in in tears.' The ear canal can become itchy and swollen and may leak fluid or a smelly discharge. The good news: With prescription ear drops, most people start to feel better within a few days. Still, doctors recommend keeping water out of your ear canal for a week or more, depending on how severe the infection is. If not treated, complications can ensue, including chronic swimmer's ear and, in rarer cases, an infection that spreads beyond the ear canal. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
