Matrix Modifying Therapies for Low Back Pain
Overview
Matrix-modifying therapies are novel solutions for preventing or treating intervertebral disc degeneration, which is a common cause of low back pain. By reducing the nutritional bottleneck caused by poor solute transport across the cartilage endplates, our therapy aims to improve disc cell survival and function and to enhance the effectiveness of regenerative therapies, thereby restoring disc function and alleviating low back pain.
The Issue
Low back pain affects nearly 80% of people worldwide and is a leading cause of disability and healthcare costs. A key driver is intervertebral disc degeneration, in which aging, genetics, occupational, and lifestyle factors impair disc health and biomechanical function. Current treatments (pain management, physical therapy, or surgery) only address symptoms and do not halt the degenerative process, leaving patients with recurring pain and high costs. There is an urgent need for therapies that target the root cause of disc degeneration at a lower cost.
Approach
Existing biologic therapies for disc regeneration, e.g., injection of cells, genes, or growth factors, aim to regenerate the disc from the inside out. This raises nutrient demands inside the avascular disc microenvironment. Our one-time injection of matrix-modifying enzymes is an outside-in approach: it enhances the permeability of the cartilage endplates at the periphery of the disc, which increases nutrient supply to the native and/or newly implanted cells. In doing so, our therapy addresses an important cause of disc degeneration (poor disc nutrition) and improves regenerative potential.
MTM Student Engagement
MTM students contribute engineering, regulatory, and business expertise to the project, supporting target product profile development, market access planning, pre-clinical protocol design, fundraising, and regulatory strategy. Their efforts help position the therapy for successful advancement from the lab toward clinical and commercial impact.
Project Brief
