Viscosupplementation is a favorably sought-after medical treatment for the management of osteoarthritis-related pain and joint process enhancement. The demand for viscosupplementation has noticed a substantial surge in recent years because of the rising incidence of osteoarthritis and an aging population.

The prior growth factors for the viscosupplementation market contain the aging demographics, the rising awareness of the benefits of viscosupplementation, and the growing incidence of osteoarthritis. The growing access to viscosupplementation treatments via retail clinics and healthcare systems has also boosted demand for these products. In addition to this, according to the research report of Astute Analytica, the global viscosupplementation market is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.4% during the forecast period from 2023 to 2030.

The benefits of viscosupplementation in the treatment of osteoarthritis are: –

Highly viscous solution

The immediate and direct advantage of viscosupplementation is the replacement of hyaluronic acid in the synovial fluid. The purpose is to enhance the viscoelasticity of the synovial fluid, letting it perform as a viscous lubricant or a flexible material under varying load requirements and mechanical tensions. The injection of hyaluronic acid into the joint space results in both ease of pain and enhanced mobility in the treated knee joints.

High concentration of hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid is the main component of the extracellular matrix and is naturally discovered in high concentrations in the synovial fluid surrounding joints. The thickness of the synovial fluid is defined by both the molecular weight and the concentration of the hyaluronic acid.

Molecular weight matters

The high molecular weight of hyaluronic acid provides the synovial fluid its important viscous and lubricating effects. The molecular weight of hyaluronic acid mustn’t be too low, but not too high. Optimal high molecular weight hyaluronic acid results in greater pain relief and longer effects than low molecular weight or too high molecular weight.

Naturally-sourced 

Other viscosupplementation products have hyaluronic acid derived from rooster combs, which increases the risk of developing allergic reactions in patients from animal proteins.

Cross-link technology

Since naturally appearing hyaluronic acid (HA) is quickly resynthesized and degraded by the body, most hyaluronic acid-based therapeutics need stabilization. A common method to stabilize hyaluronic acid is to cross-link or bind, hyaluronic acid polymers to other hyaluronic acid polymers, which works to prevent their quick, natural degradation.

When cross-linked, the hyaluronic acid polymers grow in viscosity (thickness), and they transform from a liquid to a gel. The thickness of this gel is determined by many factors, including the degree of cross-linkage between the hyaluronic acid chains. Cross-linked hyaluronic acid chains are still degraded by the body, but the degradation procedure takes many months as opposed to the several-hour procedure for hyaluronic acid polymers that are not cross-linked.

Period of efficacy

There is unawareness about the period of effectiveness. Some studies say less than 34 weeks, while some say between 34 weeks, and 52 weeks 3 and some studies who searched for the long-term efficacy concluded that hyaluronic acid was still safe and efficacious at 104 weeks and more.