Advancing cell therapies for intervertebral disc regeneration from the lab to the clinic: Recommendations of the ORS spine section.

ABSTRACT: Intervertebral disc degeneration is strongly associated with chronic low back pain, a leading cause of disability worldwide. Current back pain treatment approaches (both surgical and conservative) are limited to addressing symptoms, not necessarily the root cause. Not surprisingly therefore, long-term efficacy of most approaches is poor. Cell-based disc regeneration strategies have shown promise in preclinical studies, and represent a relatively low-risk, low-cost, and durable therapeutic approach suitable for a potentially large patient population, thus making them attractive from both clinical and commercial standpoints. Despite such promise, no such therapies have been broadly adopted clinically. In this perspective we highlight primary obstacles and provide recommendations to help acce

SUBMITTER: Smith LJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6419951 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature