The present invention provides the use of an A3 adenosine receptor agonist (A3AR agonist) for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of a mammal subject having osteoarthritis (OA), as well as to a method for the treatment of OA in a mammal subject, the method comprises administering to said subject in need of said treatment an amount of an A3AR agonist, the amount being effective to treat or prevent the development of OA. Preferred but not exclusive A3AR agonists in accordance with the invention are IB-MECA and Cl-IB-MECA. The A3AR agonist may be administered in combination with another drug, such as, Methotrexate (MTX). The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions for treatment of osteoarthritis comprising an amount of an A3AR agonist.
