KiOmed Symposium at SFMES 2026: the athlete’s knee
Refractory knee osteoarthritis in athletes: the KiOmed Pharma symposium at SFMES-SFTS 2026
On 17 September 2026, KiOmed Pharma brings together four specialists in sports medicine and knee surgery at the 19th national congress of sports medicine and traumatology (SFMES-SFTS) in Brussels. The subject: managing refractory knee osteoarthritis in athletes, and the latest clinical data on CM-chitosan.
The symposium at a glance
The KiOmed Pharma lunch symposium takes place on Thursday 17 September 2026, from 1:00 to 2:00 pm, in the Aquarium room at The Egg congress centre in Brussels. It is part of the programme of the 19th SFMES-SFTS congress, which gathers French-speaking sports physicians, orthopaedic surgeons, rheumatologists, physiotherapists and rehabilitation specialists from 16 to 18 September. Lunch is included and the session is open to registered delegates.
Four speakers present recent clinical data and real patient cases, with a deliberately practical focus on situations where standard intra-articular treatments have fallen short.
Why the athlete’s knee is a distinct challenge
In athletes, knee osteoarthritis often appears early and on specific ground: previous meniscal or ligament injury, knee surgery, high training loads, repeated pivoting or impact. These patients are young and active, and the goal goes beyond easing pain at rest — it is a return to their level of practice.
Two difficulties compound each other. Arthroplasty and major surgery are hard to justify at this age, and a proportion of patients respond poorly to first-line intra-articular treatment. Osteoarthritis is then described as refractory: pain and functional limitation persist despite well-conducted conservative care, including rehabilitation, load management and, frequently, one or more courses of hyaluronic acid knee injections or PRP.
Programme and speakers
The session is chaired by Prof. Camille Choufani, orthopaedic surgeon and expert in sports surgery.
1/ Preliminary results of KioREAL, a French clinical study, in patients with refractory knee osteoarthritis
Claude Marble, sports physician.
A first look at interim results from a study conducted in France under routine practice conditions, in patients whose knee osteoarthritis resists usual treatment.
2/ Clinical cases of elite athletes treated with KioMedinevsone
Didier Demory, team physician, Olympique de Marseille (Ligue 1).
A field perspective: indication, timing of the injection within a season, and return to training and competition.
3/ New CUSA clinical data on satisfaction among athletes with knee osteoarthritis, non-responders to HA and/or PRP, treated with KioMedinevsone
Caroline Perrin, physical and rehabilitation medicine.
Satisfaction data collected at the Clinique Universitaire du Sport et de l’Arthrose, in the hardest-to-treat population.
CM-chitosan, a new therapeutic class
CM-chitosan (carboxymethyl chitosan) is a polysaccharide of non-animal origin, produced through proprietary chemistry developed by KiOmed Pharma in Liège, Belgium. It is the basis of KioMedinevsone, a medical device presented as a new therapeutic class, indicated for the symptomatic treatment of knee osteoarthritis as a single intra-articular injection.
Being different in nature from hyaluronic acid viscosupplementation is what makes it of interest in non-responders: it offers an option when earlier injections have not delivered the expected benefit. The single-injection schedule also limits the number of intra-articular procedures — no small matter for athletes working to a tight calendar.
Meet us at the congress
The KiOmed Pharma team welcomes delegates at stand no. 5 throughout the three days of the congress, to discuss indications, injection technique and available clinical data. Scientific documentation and the instructions for use are available on site.
More information at www.kiomedine.com
Frequently asked questions
When and where is the KiOmed Pharma symposium?
Thursday 17 September 2026, 1:00–2:00 pm, Aquarium room, The Egg Brussels, as part of the 19th SFMES-SFTS congress.
Who is the session for?
Healthcare professionals registered for the congress: sports physicians, orthopaedic surgeons, rheumatologists and physical and rehabilitation medicine specialists.
What is refractory knee osteoarthritis?
Knee osteoarthritis whose symptoms persist despite well-conducted conservative care, usually including rehabilitation and intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid or PRP.
What is KioMedinevsone?
A CM-chitosan-based medical device indicated for the symptomatic treatment of knee osteoarthritis as a single intra-articular injection.
Content intended for healthcare professionals. KioMedinevsone is a medical device. Please read the instructions for use carefully.
