New Way of Treating Severe Back Pain

In selected patients, a new class of medications that inhibits tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) can lead to rapid relief of back, neck, or leg pain caused by a damaged disc without the risk and cost of surgery.

The medications are based on a biotechnology molecule, infliximab, developed to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Edward Tobinick, M.D., assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (USA), discovered that this molecule had a completely new use in selected patients with a damaged spinal disc. The molecule, a potent TNF-alpha inhibitor, reduced nerve pain, even if the pain had lasted for years and had failed to respond to surgery or cortisone injections.

Dr. Tobinick developed new methods of use of TNF inhibitors for which he was awarded several US patents. His discovery that anti-TNF treatment may be of dramatic clinical benefit for patients has now been independently corroborated by research at a leading spine clinic in Europe. Three studies have been published so far in 2003 on TNF-alpha inhibition, in Swiss Medical Weekly, Clinical Therapeutics, and Spine.

Dr. Tobinick noted other benefits of this new treatment, called TACT (targeted anti-cytokine therapy). In addition to being less expensive than epidural steroid injections, surgery, or chronic opioid therapy, TACT does not require anesthesia or other pre-medication and is designed so that patients can immediately resume their daily activities following treatment. Dr. Tobinick is also medical director of the private Institute for Neurological Research (Los Angeles, CA, USA), where patients can now receive TACT treatments.

"This is a completely new way of treating selected patients suffering with severe pain due to a damaged disc,” said Dr. Tobinick. "This is a problem of large proportions; a better approach has long been needed.”





Related Links:
Institute for Neurological Research