ESSKA Congress 2026
When conventional treatments fail, what comes next for knee OA patients?
Visit KiOmed Pharma at Booth 2.A11 during the 22nd ESSKA Congress in Prague. Join our Meet the Experts session featuring 12-month real-world follow-up data on KioMedinevsone in refractory knee osteoarthritis.
Meet the Experts
What happens when analgesics, anti-inflammatories, corticosteroid injections, and hyaluronic acid all fail to relieve knee OA symptoms? That’s the exact patient population Dr. Benoit Bouthin and Dr. Caroline Perrin have been following and they’re bringing 12-month results to ESSKA. Both clinicians practice at CUSA (Clinique Universitaire du Sport et de l’Arthrose) in France, a centre dedicated to sports medicine and osteoarthritis management. Their prospective cohort focuses on the most challenging cases: patients who had exhausted conventional intra-articular therapies and were still experiencing significant pain and functional limitation.
In this 30-minute session, they will share patient satisfaction outcomes, durability of symptom relief, and practical insights on integrating KioMedinevsone.
Want to meet us at ESSKA? Whether you’d like to attend the session, visit our booth, or schedule a dedicated meeting with our team during the congress, we’d love to hear from you.
Refractory knee osteoarthritis: a major unmet need
Millions of patients worldwide suffer from knee osteoarthritis that no longer responds to conventional treatments — analgesics, NSAIDs, corticosteroid injections, and hyaluronic acid viscosupplementation. This condition, known as refractory osteoarthritis, leaves patients with persistent pain and limited mobility, often with few options before total knee replacement.
60% of OA patients experience moderate to severe pain, and 27% continue to suffer despite treatment. For these patients, an effective alternative approach represents a critical unmet medical need.
KioMedinevsone: a different approach to knee OA
KioMedinevsone is a single intra-articular injection for the symptomatic treatment of knee osteoarthritis. Unlike conventional hyaluronic acid products, it is based on KiOmedine® CM-Chitosan — a patented, highly purified carboxymethyl chitosan derived from Agaricus bisporus (button mushroom), of non-animal origin. This unique molecular structure enables a dual mechanism of action not found in existing viscosupplementation products : enhanced joint lubication and free radical scavenging.
About KiOmed Pharma
Founded in 2014 in Herstal, Belgium, KiOmed Pharma is a biotech company specializing in injectable medical devices based on highly purified, non-animal-origin chitosan derivatives. A subsidiary of KitoZyme, the company develops its proprietary KiOmedine® technology platform across three therapeutic areas: rheumatology, aesthetic medicine, and ophthalmology.
In 2025, KiOmed Pharma secured €18 million in funding to accelerate international expansion and R&D. The company recently received NMPA approval for KioMedinevsone in China through its partnership with Hansoh Pharmaceutical, and signed a global license and supply agreement with Aptissen for worldwide commercialization.
Frequently asked questions
Where is KiOmed Pharma at ESSKA 2026?
KiOmed Pharma is exhibiting at Booth 2.A11 at the 22nd ESSKA Congress, held at O2 Universum in Prague, Czech Republic, from May 20 to 22, 2026.
What is the Meet the Experts session about?
Dr. Benoit Bouthin and Dr. Caroline Perrin from CUSA (France) will present 12-month follow-up data from a prospective cohort of knee OA patients refractory to conventional analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and intra-articular therapies, treated with KioMedinevsone.
How does KioMedinevsone differ from hyaluronic acid?
KioMedinevsone is based on KiOmedine® CM-Chitosan, a non-animal-origin carboxymethyl chitosan derived from Agaricus bisporus. Unlike HA, it provides a dual mechanism of action combining joint lubrication with free radical scavenging, offering sustained symptom relief from a single injection.
What are the clinical results?
Clinical data demonstrates a 76% treatment response rate, 86% patient satisfaction, and 90% physician satisfaction, with symptom relief sustained up to 12 months. KioMedinevsone has been used in over 60,000 patients across more than 25 countries.
What is refractory knee osteoarthritis?
Refractory knee OA refers to osteoarthritis that persists despite conventional treatments including analgesics, NSAIDs, and intra-articular injections such as corticosteroids or hyaluronic acid. These patients represent a significant unmet medical need and are the focus of the data presented at ESSKA 2026.
