Tanezumab for moderate to severe chronic pain associated with osteoarthritis and chronic low back pain

Tanezumab is in clinical development for the treatment of moderate to severe chronic pain associated with osteoarthritis and chronic low back pain. Pain is an unpleasant sensory experience associated with damage to body tissues due to an injury, physical pressure, or inflammation of some part of the body. Chronic pain is persistent or recurrent and lasts for longer than 12 weeks. Moderate pain interferes significantly with daily living activities, and severe pain is disabling and causes an inability to perform daily living activities. Effective long-term treatment options for managing moderate to severe chronic pain are limited. Currently available pain medicines like opioids and analgesics may increase the risks of addiction, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and renal problems.
Tanezumab is a type of monoclonal antibody, which works by selectively targeting, binding to and inhibiting nerve growth factor (NGF). NGF levels increase in the body as a result of injury, inflammation or in chronic pain states. By inhibiting NGF, tanezumab may help to keep pain signals produced by muscles, skin and organs from reaching the spinal cord and brain. Tanezumab has a novel mechanism that acts in a different manner than opioids and other analgesics, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and may offer an alternative treatment option for managing chronic pain.