NFL Alumni Health and Paradigm anticipate touchdown for unmet osteoarthritis pain
NFL Alumni support ex-NFL players with medical symposium during NFL Draft
Mount Laurel, NJ, June 27, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In tandem with the NFL Draft, the second-biggest event in the NFL calendar, the recently formed NFL Alumni Health hosted an inaugural symposium dedicated to addressing medical issues affecting NFL players, including the increased risk of developing osteoarthritis. The symposium aimed to inform the community about the lack of available disease-modifying drugs for osteoarthritis, and the work being done to provide novel therapeutic options, as well as touch on gastrointestinal issues.
NFL Alumni Health aimed to provide their community of players, former players, and their families with dedicated information about predominant medical issues affecting this group. The two-hour health symposium was chaired by two-time Super Bowl winner and Co-President of NFL Alumni Health, Billy Davis. The highly relevant event brought interested current and former NFL players, cheerleaders, partners, and family members together to discover current advances and options in disease treatment and management.
To increase awareness about the therapeutic challenges facing ex-NFL players with osteoarthritis, Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals Ltd., a dedicated Australian biotech (ASX:PAR) and a research partner of NFL Alumni Health, spoke at the symposium about Paradigm’s efforts at tackling osteoarthritis, including their current global phase 3 clinical program. Paradigm's Global Head of Osteoarthritis, Dr. Mukesh Ahuja, spent an hour presenting the latest research and efforts to develop new solutions for osteoarthritis pain relief.
Dr Ahuja said, “I was delighted with this opportunity to present before the wider NFL community and discuss current osteoarthritis treatments and their limitations. It’s so important to share the work that Paradigm is doing to develop a novel non-opioid therapy to reduce pain and improve function in people with knee osteoarthritis.”
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common condition in which the protective cartilage on the ends of bones wears down over time, causing pain, stiffness, and loss of mobility. OA predominantly affects load-bearing joints, as over 70% of cases worldwide occur in the knee or the hip. NFL players are at an increased risk
of developing osteoarthritis due to the high impact and physical demands of the sport. Perhaps not surprisingly, arthritis is over three times more common in retired NFL players under the age of 60 than in the general US population (1). Unfortunately, there are currently no disease-modifying drugs registered for osteoarthritis, leaving patients with few treatment options. This means that for many ex-NFL players, a life that was once spent achieving unbelievable physical feats is now unrecognizably altered by constant pain and discomfort.
NFL Alumni Health hopes to raise awareness about the importance of addressing osteoarthritis in NFL players and the wider community. “The number of questions I received about managing osteoarthritis and potential solutions showed just how prevalent this disease is among ex-NFL players, even among those in their early 40s.” said Dr Ahuja.
In addition to osteoarthritis, Dr Marc Taormina, who works closely with the NFL Alumni in Kansas City, discussed gastrointestinal challenges faced by current and former NFL players.
About Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals Ltd.
Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals Ltd. (ASX:PAR) is a late-stage drug development company driven by a purpose to improve patients’ health and quality of life by discovering, developing, and delivering pharmaceutical therapies. Paradigm’s current focus is developing injectable (subcutaneous) pentosan polysulfate sodium (iPPS) for the treatment of diseases where inflammation plays a major pathogenic role, such as osteoarthritis of the knee. Paradigm is currently pursuing a phase 3 clinical program, with clinical trial sites enrolling in the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, and Europe. To find out more, go to https://hope4OA.com.
Reference
1. Golightly YM, Marshall SW, Callahan LF, Guskiewicz K. Early-Onset Arthritis in Retired National Football League Players. J Phys Act Health. 2009 Sep;6(5):638–43.
CONTACT: Simon White
Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals Ltd
+61 404 216 467
investorrelations@paradigmbiopharma.com