Anika fully enrolled for Monovisc OA study

Massachusetts, USA-based Anika Therapeutics, which focuses on products for tissue protection, healing and repair based on hyaluronic acid technology, has completed enrollment for its pivotal trial for Monovisc, its next-generation, HA-based viscosupplement therapy for the treatment of osteoarthritis.

The randomized, double-blind, controlled study is designed to demonstrate that a single injection of Monovisc safely provides symptomatic relief of knee pain in patients with osteoarthritis. Anika has enrolled around 350 patients in the study, which includes a six-month follow-up period. The company expects to commence commercialization in the USA in 2010.

"Monovisc is being very well received in Europe, where we launched the product in May," said chief executive Charles Sherwood. "Coincident with that launch, we completed a post-approval study of Monovisc in Europe and the interim results on the product's performance and duration of action are very strong," he added.