Painful musculoskeletal disorders like intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration associated with chronic low back pain (DBP) present a significant socio-economic burden worldwide.

The Need

Current treatments for painful musculoskeletal disorders offer only temporary relief or invasive surgical procedures, failing to address the underlying pathology or provide long-lasting pain relief. Consequently, there is an urgent need for minimally invasive, non-addictive therapeutic strategies that can restore tissue structure and function while offering sustained pain relief.

The Technology

Researchers at The Ohio State University have developed a novel non-viral gene therapy using engineered extracellular vesicles (eEVs) to deliver the developmental transcription factor FOXF1 to degenerated IVDs. Through in vivo studies, injured IVDs treated with FOXF1 eEVs demonstrated remarkable reductions in pain behaviors and significant restoration of tissue structure and function. This groundbreaking approach represents a paradigm shift in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders by simultaneously addressing tissue degeneration and symptomatic pain.

Commercial Applications

• Treatment of discogenic back pain (DBP) associated with intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration
• Management of chronic musculoskeletal pain disorders
• Development of non-addictive, non-viral gene therapy strategies for painful joint diseases
• Advancement of minimally invasive therapeutic interventions for degenerative disc diseases
• Potential application in personalized medicine for targeted treatment of musculoskeletal disorders

Benefits/Advantages

• Offers a minimally invasive and non-addictive alternative to traditional pain management strategies
• Addresses both tissue degeneration and symptomatic pain, providing comprehensive treatment
• Demonstrates significant restoration of tissue structure and function, potentially improving patient outcomes
• Utilizes engineered extracellular vesicles (eEVs) for targeted delivery, minimizing off-target effects
• Represents a novel therapeutic approach with potential for translation to other painful musculoskeletal disorders

Patent Applications Pending in Europe and US