Pacira BioSciences Unveils Three-Year Clinical Data Following a Single Local Administration of Investigational Gene Therapy, PCRX-201, in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Osteoarthritis of the Knee

Core Insights - Pacira BioSciences, Inc. announced long-term follow-up data from its Phase 1 clinical trial of PCRX-201, a gene therapy for knee osteoarthritis, showing sustained clinical efficacy for up to three years [1][3][12] - The therapy demonstrated significant improvements in pain, stiffness, and function, with a single injection being well tolerated [1][7] Study Details - The Phase 1 trial involved 72 patients aged 30 to 80, with assessments conducted over 156 weeks using WOMAC and KOOS scores [4][6] - Participants were divided into two cohorts: one receiving varying doses of PCRX-201 and the other receiving a corticosteroid pretreatment [4] Key Findings - No serious treatment-related adverse events were reported, with treatment-related joint effusions occurring in 36% of the corticosteroid-pretreated group and 61% in the non-pretreated group [6][7] - Significant reductions in pain and stiffness were observed, with 51-53% reduction in WOMAC-A pain scores and 38-76% reduction in WOMAC-B stiffness scores [7] - Improvements in KOOS daily living function scores ranged from 26 to 28 points [7] Regulatory Designations - PCRX-201 received Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation from the FDA and Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMP) designation from the European Medicines Agency [8][9][12] - These designations facilitate efficient drug development and potential accelerated approval processes [9] Future Developments - Following promising Phase 1 results, a Phase 2 study (ASCEND study) is currently underway for PCRX-201 [10] - The therapy targets chronic inflammation at the cellular level, aiming to modify the disease rather than just alleviate symptoms [3][11]