An article is devoted to substantiating a feasibility of using long-acting disease-modifying medicines, which are potentially capable not only to affect symptoms of OA, but also have a long-term structural-modifying effect on articular cartilage. An article presents results of clinical studies that prove an effect of glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate combination on pain and functional state of joints, as well as evidence that a combination of glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate is better compared to use of these drugs in mono therapy mode.