Biologics: the next-generation therapeutics for analgesia?

Abstract

There is a huge unmet need for novel medicines for the treatment of chronic pain. In this article, we briefly examine some of the issues associated with traditional approaches to the treatment of these conditions. We go on to present some of the current evidence for three of the most advanced approaches to the treatment of pain using a biological approach and briefly review some of the future trends that may lead to better treatments for this debilitating condition.

Keywords::

• biologics
• interleukin-6
• nerve growth factor
• pain
• tumor necrosis factor

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors are all full time employees of MedImmune and hold some shares in the organization. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.