Cornell researchers develop synthetic lubricant now entering human trials for osteoarthritis

Researchers at Cornell University have developed a synthetic polymer inspired by lubricin, a natural lubricant that helps joints move smoothly, with the material now advancing towards clinical use in two separate first-in-human trials.

The technology, developed by biomedical engineers David Putnam and Lawrence Bonassar, is designed to reduce friction between cartilage surfaces. The Australian trial will test it for knee osteoarthritis, while a separate Canadian trial will investigate its potential as a treatment for dry eye disease, according to the university’s Oct 7 announcement.

Osteoarthritis affects more than 500 million people worldwide and is a leading cause of disability among older adults. The researchers hope the synthetic material could eventually provide an alternative for patients whose bodies produce insufficient lubricin as a result of ageing or joint injury. However, the material has not yet been shown to be safe and effective in human patients.

How the synthetic lubricant works

Lubricin is a glycoprotein that helps reduce friction in joints such as the knees, hips and shoulders. When its production declines, friction between cartilage surfaces can increase, contributing to cartilage wear and the development or progression of osteoarthritis.

The Cornell team designed a polymer with two functional sections. One anchors the material to tissue, while the other attracts and retains water. Once attached to cartilage, the water-binding section helps maintain a thin lubricating layer across the surface.

The researchers found that the arrangement of these two sections was crucial to performance. Neither section worked effectively on its own, but combining them in a specific molecular structure produced the desired lubricating effect.

Laboratory tests showed reduced friction

In a study published in 2019 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers tested the polymer on bovine cartilage from which natural lubricin had been removed.

The treatment reduced the coefficient of friction from approximately 0.39 to 0.09, a level comparable to cartilage treated with natural lubricin. These results came from laboratory testing on animal tissue and do not establish that the material will deliver the same effect in human joints.

A follow-up study published in 2020 in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces examined eight polymer variants with different molecular segment lengths. The researchers identified the tissue-binding section as a key factor in performance, helping establish design parameters for further development.

Research advances towards clinical testing

The technology originated in research at Cornell’s Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering. Zhexun “Jason” Sun, a former doctoral student who worked on the material, later co-founded Pleryon Therapeutics, a start-up based on the technology, and became its chief technology officer.

The researchers say a synthetic alternative could be easier to manufacture than natural lubricin, which has been difficult and expensive to produce at scale. More practical manufacturing could help advance the material towards clinical applications if trials establish that it is safe and effective.

The two trials will examine different uses of the polymer: knee osteoarthritis in Australia and dry eye disease in Canada. Their results will be important in determining whether the laboratory findings translate into meaningful benefits for patients.

The material could potentially have applications beyond knees and eyes, including other tissues that need to move smoothly against one another. Such uses remain possibilities rather than established treatments.