Researchers at Yale University published a study in Bioactive Materials on August 18, 2026, identifying the FDA-approved medication lacosamide as a promising dual-action treatment for osteoarthritis that simultaneously relieves pain and repairs damaged cartilage. Led by principal investigator Chuan-Ju Liu, the team discovered that the sodium channel protein Nav1.7 is highly active in cartilage-maintaining chondrocytes during osteoarthritis, driving both degeneration and pain signaling, which lacosamide can effectively target and block. To overcome the rapid clearance of liquid medications from knee joints, the researchers developed a thermoresponsive Collagen II hydrogel delivery system that holds lacosamide locally inside the joint and provides a sustained release over multiple weeks. Preclinical findings demonstrated that a single injection of the lacosamide-loaded hydrogel every four weeks outperformed daily oral dosing, paving the way for faster clinical translation and advanced disease-modifying therapies for osteoarthritis patients.
