LONDON, April 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new white paper entitled "Inside the Science: A Major Step Forward for Knee Osteoarthritis" has been released which heralds the dawn of a new era of treatments for knee osteoarthritis (OA) that can offer a viable alternative to surgery on the NHS, currently facing a backlog of patients. Launched to coincide with the first major conference in the annual industry calendar - BASK 2026 (British Association of Surgery for the Knee) taking place on April 14-15th 2026 in Glasgow, the paper has been commissioned by Contura Orthopaedics Ltd.
The objective of the independently authored report is to engage the academic and clinical community in meaningful conversation around the future of treatments to address the growing, global burden of knee osteoarthritis. It catalogues completed, ongoing and planned research trials, concluding that this work is doing more than just furthering a deeper understanding of Arthrosamid - these studies are also helping in a bid to have this unique hydrogel routinely offered by the NHS.
Setting out the current landscape, the report outlines the latest figures which show that around 850,000 patients are currently on the NHS waiting list for planned joint treatment, which includes knee replacement surgery1. According to the latest data from The King's Fund2, the NHS is lagging behind its aim that 92% of patients should not have to wait more than 18 weeks from elective referral to their first treatment such as knee replacement surgery. Currently only 62% of patients hit this NHS goal.
But now there is fresh hope on the horizon in the form of Arthrosamid, a pioneering injectable hydrogel commercially launched in the UK in 2022. Its rise has been rapid. Delivered as a single, minimally invasive outpatient procedure,3,4 Arthrosamid is an evidence-based, viable and long-lasting alternative to conventional therapies (including partial or total knee replacement surgery) for patients with knee OA.3,4
It's now forecast that this year alone around 20,000 patients - half of them in the UK - will receive a single injection of Arthrosamid. The report, including comment from leading clinicians and researchers worldwide, concludes that it could offer some more lasting relief from chronic pain and allow people to return to the life they once enjoyed.
Inside the Science: what is research telling us?
The white paper outlines several milestone pieces of research regarding the safety and efficacy of Arthrosamid that have been presented in recent years. In fact, the 2.5% polyacrylamide hydrogel,3,4 designed to give patients long-lasting pain relief from knee OA.5,6 is backed by over two decades of research7.
Significant studies were unveiled in 2025 by Professor Henning Bliddal including "Polyacrylamide Hydrogel for Knee Osteoarthritis: 5-Year Results from a Prospective Study"6 and the results of new safety data, entitled, "10-Year Follow-Up After Intra-Articular Injections of 2.5% Polyacrylamide Hydrogel for Knee Osteoarthritis"8.
Research: what's on the horizon?
Ongoing research led by Professor Martyn Snow, a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry, Shropshire, explores how Arthrosamid could benefit patients within the NHS.
After recruiting 65 knee osteoarthritis patients, each was treated with an Arthrosamid injection so Professor Snow's team could better understand its mechanism of action. A sample of their synovial fluid was also taken for analysis by researchers at Keele University9.
The 12-month trial results using an outcome score, showed a 70% clinically meaningful improvement in patients whose knees were injected with Arthrosamid. The 24-month results are due later this year and Professor Snow says that although he expects the response rate to be slightly lower, says, "There's going to be a reasonably high number of people who would say it's still working after two years."
Professor Snow adds: "What we now recognise is that osteoarthritis probably isn't a single condition, but five or six different subtypes we call phenotypes. Essentially these phenotypes all work in a slightly different way from a biological perspective. It could mean in the future we will have a test (hopefully a blood test) so you know which subtype the patient is and then potentially know what treatment or if an injection of Arthrosamid will work best with their biology. I would then expect their response rates to go into the high 90 per cent."
Meanwhile, an evaluation study is planned at six NHS sites each involving 100 patients which it is hoped will provide valuable new clinical data from 600 patients receiving Arthrosamid. One part of this study is comparing the cost of the standard NHS pathway for knee osteoarthritis against those receiving a single Arthrosamid injection.
In the new paper, "Inside the Science: A Major Step Forward for Knee Osteoarthritis", CEO of Contura Orthopaedics Ltd, Rakesh Tailor, foresees a future in which non-surgical options like Arthrosamid will become a part of the NHS pathway. Rakesh comments, "With a multi-year commitment to research and ongoing clinical studies, the evidence base for Arthrosamid continues to become more compelling for patients looking to avoid or delay surgery. This single injection is minimally invasive but importantly not yet another short-term fix.
"At the moment, patients in need of Arthrosamid are having to pay for it privately. But ultimately, that's not our goal. In the UK, we are fortunate to be part of a socialised healthcare system and we're working hard to show that Arthrosamid can ultimately save the NHS money. In simple terms, people with knee osteoarthritis may now be able to avoid invasive surgery, not needing months off work recovering. They could instead benefit from Arthrosamid with no enforced downtime.
"Within two or so years, I can see a world where Arthrosamid is an option on the NHS pathway. When we lay out the health economic argument, consider the evidence and factor in the very many it's already helped (more than 30,000 to date and rising rapidly), the key decision makers will be able to clearly see the rationale for offering patients Arthrosamid on the NHS."
To download a copy of "Inside the Science: A Major Step Forward for Knee Osteoarthritis" visit hcp.arthrosamid.com
Contura Orthopaedics Ltd will have an active presence in the forthcoming congress season, "kicking off" with a focused session at BASK on Wednesday 15th April (12.30-12.55) exploring how Arthrosamid works. The session entitled "Bridging The Treatment Gap: Arthrosamid's Elasticity-Driven Mode of Action" will examine the role of elasticity in knee osteoarthritis and how this may help address unmet patient needs. Speakers include Professor Graeme P. Hopper; Professor Markus A. Wimmer, PhD and Mr Paul Joseph Jermin.
For further information or to interview Rakesh Tailor, CEO, Contura Orthopaedics on the launch of the White Paper contact Caroline Beswick or Jo Hudson at Trinity PR at info@trinitypr.co.uk or call 0770 948 9759/60.
References:
- NHS secures bone cement rescue package so joint surgery can resume, BBC News.
- The King's Fund, Waiting times for elective (non-urgent) treatment: referral to treatment (RTT), 15 December 2025.
- Arthrosamid, Instructions For Use. Release Date March 2022. 10082-003.
- Arthrosamid, Instructions For Use. Release Date October 2025. 10117-001.
- Bliddal, H., et al., (2026). Clin Exp Rheumatol.
- Bliddal, H., et al. (2026). 5-year extension study. J Orthop Surg Res, 21:43.
- Data on file
- Bliddal, H., et al. (2025). 10-Year Follow-up. Abstract OC11 presented at WCO-IOF-ESCEO 2025.
- Snow, M., et al. (2025) Intra-articular Arthrosamid injection for knee osteoarthritis: A synovial fluid biomarker study. Poster presented at 2025 OARSI Congress. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, Volume 33, S154 - S155.
