Gene Therapy Research Switches Off Joint Inflammation; Switches On Genetic Proce

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Gene Therapy Research Switches Off Joint Inflammation; Switches On

Genetic Process Of Joint Repair

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=54586

Scientists at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and

Albany Medical College, together with Rainforest Nutritionals, Inc.

have demonstrated in a mini symposium held 18 Oct 2006 at the 14th

International Conference of the Inflammation Research Association

(IRA) that a blend of natural botanical products called Reparagen

have turned on the master repair gene, IGF-1, which is responsible

for growing human cartilage and restores joint function while

blocking joint destruction associated with inflammation. The IRA is

the preeminent meeting for inflammation investigators.

Mark J.S. , Ph.D., M.B.A., Professor of Cardiovascular

Sciences and Pediatrics at Albany Medical College (NY) and head of

the Reparagen's Scientific Advisory Board said that, " Sixty six

million people have poor joint health; 20 million people suffer from

osteoarthritis. Compromised joint health is a major contributor to

comprised quality of life. No product of any kind has been able to

demonstrate this combination of actions. These findings have been

published in peer-review journals and presented to learned

societies. The commercialization of Reparagen has been supported by

the US government with a grant from the National Institutes of

Health.

" Glucosamine is currently a gold standard in the natural product

approach to joint health with $1 billion in annual sales but recent

studies have questioned its effectiveness. There are no therapies on

the market today that work by activating the genes that control the

process of joint repair. Reparagen's approach is unique, in that it

switches `off' the genes that control joint destruction and

inflammation while turning `on' the process of inserting glucosamine

into new cartilage. Without this activated repair process

glucosamine cannot be effective.1 So this solves a riddle that has

plagued researchers for decades and corrects a problem that is

exacerbated with aging.

Multi-center, Randomized controlled Clinical Trial Underway

Dr. Mark J.S. said that, " This trial is important because it

directly compares Reparagen with glucosamine in treating subjects

with moderate osteoarthritis. Glucosamine is both familiar to

consumers and healthcare providers and is the primary natural

product approach to osteoarthritis. "

The double blind randomized controlled clinical trial will assess a

variety of pain, mobility and functional assessments in subjects

with moderate osteoarthritis of the knee. Prior to this clinical

investigation Reparagen was found to be the first natural product

to " silence " genes that promote joint damage while simultaneously

activating the repair gene, IGF-1, in human chondrocytes.2

The clinical study being conducted by clinical research organization

Santerra Pharmaceuticals, LLC (http://www.santerra-pharma.com/) was

submitted to Current Controlled Trials for review of the protocol

and assignment of an International Standardized Randomized

Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN25438351).3

Rainforest Nutritionals, Inc. Vice President Bobrowski

emphasized that, " Reparagen continues to set a new standard in the

joint health market, emphasized by this clinical study and the

Current Controlled Trials validation. " Elaborating Bobrowski

said, " We believe that Reparagen's unique mechanism of action and

its NIH innovation Award makes it the alternative to glucosamine or

chondroitin that consumers can trust and try " .

Coauthor Bobrowski emphasized that " If joints are like a brick

wall made from bricks of glucosamine, and then it makes sense that

to rebuild a functional wall that you need the master bricklayer and

not just the simple approach of getting more bricks. " Elaborating

Bobrowski said, " By activating the joints master bricklayer

Reparagen offers a more effective approach for regaining joint

health. "