Innovation in Equine Osteoarthritis treatment
A new combination of anti-osteoarthritis drugs developed by researchers at the University of Sydney has shown promising results in clinical trials. It is hoped that the combination could extend the active life of racing and other performances horses in a significant manner.
Previous treatments have emphasized pain relief but have not affected the reduction in mobility or inflammation of the joints which cause it. However, the new drug combination targets the causes of Osteoarthritis rather than the symptoms and slows the damage to the joints instead, thus extend the working life of the horse.
"Osteoarthritis is a major cause of wastage in athletic horses, with a significant economic impact on the equine industry," said Dr Toby Koenig, lead researcher for the study and Surgical Resident at the University of Sydney Veterinary Teaching Hospital. "We found a new combination of three commonly used drugs - pentosan polysulphate, glucosamine and hyaluronic acid - can reduce the damage experienced during strenuous exercise," he added.
The study was carried out at the Sydney Veterinary Teaching Hospital's Research and Clinical Training Unit (REaCT) and involved horses undergoing simulated race training. It assessed the effect, both clinical and biochemical, of a combination (dubbed PGH) of pentosan polysulphate (PPS), N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) and sodium hyaluranon (HA) administered intravenously, for treating horses with experimentally induced osteoarthritis.
The research team found that the total synovial fluid protein concentration in the damaged joints was significantly lower in horses treated with PGH compared to control horses. The results suggested that PGH had beneficial disease-modifying or chondroprotective effects and could provide a therapeutic option for osteoarthritis in horses.
Director of REaCT Professor Andrew Dart welcomed the conclusions of the study, praised the international co-ordination involved, and expressed the hope that the discovery could be of potential use for a medical response to Osteoarthritis in other species.
He said: "The study brought together some of the world's leading researchers into equine osteoarthritis, in Australia and in the United States, to produce a significant research outcome which will impact on the welfare of horses and potentially more widely."
The BSAVA has opened submissions for the BSAVA Clinical Research Abstracts 2026.
