Potential treatment for inflammatory back pain falls short in study

According to the results of a new study led by Johns Hopkins, a new type of injectable, anti-inflammatory pain medicine has proven less effective than the current standard care of steroid injections in relieving the leg and lower back pain associated with sciatica. The drug etanercept, sold under the name Enbrel, is a genetically engineered small-protein drug known as a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor. It is currently used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune disorders that cause pain, swelling and damage. Unlike steroids, TNF inhibitors target the inflammatory molecules that cause sciatica and keeps them from binding to receptors in the central nervous system. TNF is a naturally produced substance that causes inflammation.  “People are desperate for a safer, more effective drug,” Steven P. Cohen, who led the research, said. “This new treatment shows a lot of promise, but at least in the doses we gave it -- the dose known to be safe -- steroids still work better.”