by Megan Giboney – RegMedNet –
Ohio State University (USA) researchers have developed a novel non-viral gene therapy to treat discogenic back pain, a type of chronic low back pain that results from the degeneration of intervertebral discs. Intervertebral discs function to separate the vertebrae, preventing them from grinding together, and provide a shock-absorbing effect and degeneration of these discs is responsible for approximately 40% of cases of discogenic back pain. Currently there are very few treatment options available and most rely on treating symptomatic pain rather than restoring the structure of the discs.
