Sun Pharma & Moebius Publish Phase 2b Data on MM-II for Osteoarthritis

Sun Pharma and Israel-based Moebius Medical Limited announced the publication of two articles in osteoarthritis and cartilage, the official journal of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI), highlighting MM-II, a novel non-opioid product for the treatment of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.
 
MM-II is based on a proprietary suspension of large, empty, multilamellar liposomes designed to reduce joint friction and wear, thereby alleviating pain. The two publications offer complementary insights into MM-II’s clinical efficacy and mechanism of action, underscoring its potential therapeutic value.
 
The first publication presents results from a phase 2b randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (NCT04506463), which enrolled 397 patients across the US, Europe and Asia. Findings demonstrate that a single injection of MM-II provided clinically meaningful pain relief through 26 weeks, with a favourable safety and tolerability profile.
 
The second publication, titled “Empty large liposomes reduce cartilage degeneration in osteoarthritic rats by forming a lubricative coating,” details MM-II’s unique mechanism of action. The research shows that MM-II forms a lubricative layer over cartilage surfaces, reducing friction and slowing cartilage degeneration. The authors suggest that the results of the clinical trial may be mediated through the coating of the cartilage surfaces, though additional mechanisms may contribute to the long term pain reduction seen in phase 2b study.
 
“The data from these publications show that MM-II has the potential to provide durable pain relief for patients,” said Prof. Thomas J Schnitzer, MD, PhD, a rheumatologist and professor of Medicine at Northwestern University and lead author of the clinical trial manuscript. “With limited treatment options, lack of novel treatment approaches, and concerns around opioid use, MM-II may offer a promising alternative to hyaluronic acid and steroid treatments.”
 
Moshe Weinstein, CEO of Moebius Medical, added: “Having both our clinical data and our research on MM-II’s underlying mechanism of action published in the leading peer-reviewed journal for osteoarthritis further validates MM-II’s novel treatment approach.”
 
Coinciding with these publications, Sun Pharma and Moebius Medical are also presenting new data at the OARSI 2025 World Congress on Osteoarthritis taking place this week. Three abstracts were accepted for presentation at the congress, and the companies will also host a satellite symposium which exploring MM-II’s mechanism of action, clinical data and planned phase 3 programme.
 
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common chronic health conditions and a leading cause of pain and disability among adults. Global estimates reveal that more than 100 million people are affected by osteoarthritis. More than 20 million people in the US suffer from knee osteoarthritis. The global market for products used for symptomatic relief of knee osteoarthritis pain, including intra-articular hyaluronic acid and others, is estimated at $2 billion with a 6.5% compound annual growth rate. The US alone accounts for approximately 40% of this market.
 
Moebius Medical is a clinical stage biotechnology company that is developing novel pain relief treatments for osteoarthritis. The company was founded in 2008 within the RAD Biomed Accelerator to develop products based on a patent-protected technology exclusively licensed from Yissum, the Hebrew University Technology Transfer Company; T3, the Technology Transfer arm of the Technion Institute; and by Hadasit, the Technology Transfer company of Hadassah Medical Center. In 2016, Moebius formed a joint collaboration with Sun Pharma in which Moebius is responsible for conducting certain preclinical studies and for product development and manufacturing through the end of phase 2 studies, at which point Sun has the option to assume further product development and commercialization.
 
Sun Pharma is the world’s leading specialty generics company with a presence in specialty, generics and consumer healthcare products. It is the largest pharmaceutical company in India and is a leading generic company in the US as well as global emerging markets.

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