The 'life-changing' once-a-month jab that offers hope for osteoarthritis sufferers By Roger Dobson Published: 12:14 EDT, 5 August 2024 | Updated: 12:14 EDT, 5 August 2024 e-mail View comments A new once-a-month jab could be a game-changing treatment for chronic joint pain caused by osteoarthritis , which affects 10 million people in the UK. Results from a trial involving 510 patients with arthritis in the knee show those given the jab experienced a 50 per cent drop in pain levels after four months. They also had none of the side-effects linked to drugs such as ibuprofen and opioids, according to the results to be reported today — but published exclusively in advance in Good Health.
The first-of-a-kind drug — currently called LEVI-04 — works by blocking a compound that supports the nerve cells involved in transmitting pain signals to the brain. Researchers say the drug may also be effective for a wide range of other conditions, from back pain to frozen shoulder and some cancer pain, as well as all joints affected by osteoarthritis. 10 million people in the UK are affected by osteoarthritis, which causes chronic joint pain Osteoarthritis — or wear and tear arthritis — occurs when the protective cartilage on the end of bones breaks down over time, causing pain, swelling and problems moving the joint as bone rubs against bone.
The knee is the joint most likely to be affected, accounting for just over half of all cases of the condition. Current treatments are aimed at reducing symptoms. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, relieve pain and reduce inflammation but carry the risk of stomach ulcers, for instance.
More heavyweight drugs, such as opioids, carry the risk of addiction. The new treatment, which has been developed by UK-based biotechnology firm Levicept, is the first of a new class of drugs known as neurotrophin receptor fusion proteins. These target compounds called neurotrophins, including nerve growth factor (NGF).
The jab will not cure the condition but instead seeks to relieve pain symptoms. With those involved in the trial reporting pain scores that were at least 50 per cent lower The compounds control the growth and maintenance of nerve cells involved in the transmission of pain. Levels of neurotrophins increase when there is tissue damage and inflammation, as occurs in osteoarthritis.
The new drug works by blocking the activity of NGF and other neurotrophins. Importantly, it does not completely inactivate them because they have other functions, including the repair of tissue such as cartilage and bone. For the trial, the 510 patients were given monthly infusions, with their self-reported pain levels recorded.
X-rays and MRI were used to assess their joints. Read More Blood test could detect osteoarthritis in the knees eight years before it appears on X-rays Results showed pain scores were at least 50 per cent lower for each of the three different doses of the drug used in the trial. There are hopes the drug could delay the need for joint replacement operations — according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) , 100,000 knee replacement procedures are performed in the UK each year.
'I can't quite believe how good the results are — it has the potential to be a gamechanger in the treatment of chronic pain,' Philip Conaghan, a professor of musculoskeletal medicine at the University of Leeds, who led the international trial, told Good Health. Larger trials are now planned and, if all goes well, the treatment could be available within three to four years. Commenting on the research, Mike McNicholas, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Liverpool University Hospitals, said: 'Osteoarthritis is currently the most common disease without a cure.
These trial results are interesting and encouraging.' He added: 'The treatment is for symptom relief rather than curative. But it is good to see that the team are introducing this novel technology in a responsible manner, and hopefully the larger trials will be reassuring of the absence of any unexpected complications.
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