Screen of FDA-approved drug library identifies vitamin K as anti-ferroptotic drug for osteoarthritis therapy through Gas6

Shi Y, Li S, Zhang S, et al. · Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis

Vitamin K emerged as the strongest anti-ferroptotic hit from a screen of FDA-approved compounds in chondrocytes, blocked matrix degradation, and reduced osteoarthritis severity when injected into mouse knees — acting through Gas6, itself a vitamin-K-dependent protein, and the AXL/PI3K/AKT axis.

Population

High-throughput screen in chondrocytes plus a destabilisation-of-the-medial-meniscus mouse osteoarthritis model

Intervention

Vitamin K, delivered by intra-articular injection in vivo

Comparator

Untreated osteoarthritic mice and cells

Limitations

Intra-articular injection in mice, which says nothing about what a swallowed capsule reaches; a screening hit followed up in one laboratory; the vitamin K form is not the MK-7 sold as a supplement.