Smith and Nephew’s Durolane approved for expanded EU usage

Smith and Nephew has received clearance for its injectable joint treatment product Durolane to be utilised in an expanded range of indications in Europe.

The company has been granted CE Mark accreditation for the agent to be used on arthroscopic joint surgery patients at any point for up to three months after a procedure takes place.

In addition, it can now be utilised by osteoarthritis patients suffering pain in synovial joints of all sizes, including ankles, knees and fingers.

Durolane was originally developed by Q-Med and helps to stabilise the hyaluronic acid in joints, restoring lubrication and cushioning.

It was previously only specified for patients with mild to moderate hip or knee osteoarthritis.

John Everett, vice-president of international commercial operations at Smith and Nephew, said: "Our focus is to help improve people's lives by repairing and healing the human body, which is why we invested in bringing this product to wider applications."

Last month, the UK's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommended low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) technology for treating bone fractures, which was a positive development for Smith and Nephew's LIPUS-based bone healing system Exogen.