Breakthrough pain treatment drug in use at seven AFL clubs

ONE of the AFL’s biggest stars is among up to 50 players being injected with a breakthrough pain treatment unavailable to the general public that has been credited with eliminating knee, hip and groin pain.

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ONE of the AFL’s biggest stars is among up to 50 players being injected with a breakthrough pain treatment yet to be made available to the general public.

The claimed wonder drug — Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium — is injected into the body twice a week for six weeks and, despite remaining in a clinical trial phase, is credited with eliminating crippling knee, hip and groin pain.

The interstate star has been battling complications from a knee injury and was in serious doubt of lining up in Round 1 until he began using the drug in late February.

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The club’s football boss said on Tuesday night it would be inappropriate to discuss the player’s private medical treatment.

Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium has been used for decades to treat blood clots and painful bladder syndrome in women but only recently emerged as a treatment option for osteoarthritis, caused by the breakdown of cartilage in joints.

Carlton is one of six other AFL clubs using the substance on injured players.

Wonder drug could be a game changer.

The drug has been patented by Melbourne company Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals and is sourced from Germany.

Paradigm chief executive Paul Rennie said club doctors had been given approval to use the drug by AFL chief medical officer Dr Peter Harcourt.

Approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration in Canberra under a “special access scheme” has also been granted, Rennie said.

“That was all cleared,” he said.

Rennie revealed six AFL players suffering from osteitis pubis were treated with Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium over the off-season.

“They all went from pain scores of six or seven out of 10 to zero,” he said.

“It was completely resolved. There’s no doubt it works and the AFL doctors who have used it love it.”

Asked how many current AFL players were using the drug, Rennie said: “I think we would be pushing 40 to 50 at seven clubs.

Dr Peter Harcourt (right) is the AFL’s chief medical officer.

“It’s on the market as a way of treating deep vein thrombosis and is registered in Europe for that purpose.

“It’s not registered in Australia, the US or Japan.

“The dosing regimen and the way we administer it is different.

“It’s administered by a subcutaneous injection, so just under the skin — not into the joint. It’s normally done around the abdomen ... or the shoulder or the backside.

“It’s about 1.5 mils of liquid.”

Rennie said the clinical phase two trial involving 100 people was aimed at proving Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium works in the treatment of osteoarthritis.

Andrew Walker with his sons Cody, 9 and Arli, 5. Picture: Alex Coppel

Another 160 patients, including the 40-50 AFL players, are using the drug under the TGA “special access scheme”.

Four of the seven clubs using the substance are based in Victoria.

The TGA says its special access scheme “refers to arrangements which provide for the import and/or supply of an unapproved therapeutic good for a single patient, on a case-by-case basis”.

Harcourt was contacted for comment but was unavailable last night.

Retired Blues star Andrew Walker, whose AFL career was crippled by chronic knee soreness, was one of the first players to trial the drug.

“He could hardly walk between practice sessions and had every available therapy thrown at him — but didn’t respond to any of it,” Rennie said.

“He is now running between 20 and 30 kilometres a week and has no knee pain and is playing (country) football again.”

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