Chondroitin sulfate CS b-Bioactive is the most researched brand of chondroitin. It has demonstrated clinical efficacy and safety in over 20 clinical trials and more than 5000 patients.
The MOSAIC clinical essay (24 month study on structural changes in knee osteoarthritis Assessed by MRI with chondroitin sulfate) is a multi centre, randomised, double blind, controlled and comparative study, conducted by Bioiberica, carried out in five medical centres in Quebec (Canada).
Bioiberica is a biotechnology company specialising in the research, production and distribution of biomolecules such us chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine, heparin and hyaluronic acid.
One hundred and ninety-four patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis with inflammation (synovitis) and moderate pain were recruited to assess the effects of chondroitin sulfate and celecoxib over the loss of cartilage volume in knee osteoarthritis after 24 months as the primary objective.
The participants underwent three quantitative magnetic resonance scans: one at the beginning of the study, a second one after one year and a third one at the end of the study.
The results revealed the progression of knee osteoarthritis is slower in patients receiving chondroitin sulfate CS b-Bioactive.
More precisely, this group experienced a statistically significant lower loss of cartilage volume as soon as one year after treatment, in comparison with those patients who received the anti-inflammatory drug.
Patients treated with chondroitin sulfate had a decrease in synovitis, which was associated with a statistical significant decrease in cartilage loss.
In addition a published post hoc analysis of this clinical trial concludes chondroitin sulfate has a protective effect at reducing the long-term progression of knee OA structural changes by a decrease in the loss of subchondral bone curvature.
The MOSAIC study also evaluated the effects of both products on the disease’s symptoms. Among others, the study evaluated the effects on pain, function, stiffness, joint swelling and effusion; concluding that both treatments were equally efficient across the entire study, reaching a clinically relevant symptom improvement of around 50%.
Professor Pelletier said: “This data proves that chondroitin sulfate may delay the advance of osteoarthritis in the long term, and identifies a possible new mode of action of chondroitin sulfate. The study confirms that both products are efficient for the treatment of osteoarthritis symptoms, although only chondroitin sulfate has the additional advantage of exerting a joint protection effect."