My only commentary would be that these results do not read like clinical success, but rather something suggesting they should move on to phase III clinical trials.<p>This is the only publication I found in a quick search:<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37976118/" rel="nofollow">https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37976118/</a><p>>>
Abstract<p>Objectives: Nerve growth factor β (β-NGF) is a protein which is important to the development of neurons particularly those involved in the transmission of pain and is central to the experience of pain in osteoarthritis (OA). Direct NGF antagonism has been shown to reduce OA pain but is associated with rapidly progressive OA. The aim of the study is to investigate the ability of soluble neurotrophin receptors in the NGF pathway to modulate pain in OA.<p>Methods: Synovial fluid (SF) was obtained from the knee joints of 43 subjects who underwent total knee arthroplasty. Visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores were obtained prior to surgery. Customised-automated-ELISAs and commercial-ELISAs and LEGENDplex™ were used to measure soluble low-affinity nerve growth factor (LNGFR), soluble tropomyosin receptor kinase (TrkA), proNGF, β-NGF, other neurotrophins (NT) and cytokines including inflammatory marker TNF-α.<p>Results: The VAS score positively correlated with β-NGF (r=0.34) and there was positive association trend with neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), BDNF and negative association trend with ProNGF. sLNGFR positively correlated with VAS (r=0.33). The β-NGF/soluble TrkA ratio showed a strong positive correlation with VAS (r=0.80). In contrast, there was no correlation between pain and the β-NGF/sLNGFR ratio (r=-0.08). TNF-α positively correlated with β-NGF (r=0.83), NT-3 (r=0.66), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) (r=0.50) and negatively with ProNGF (r= -0.74) and positively correlated with both soluble TrkA (r=0.62), sLNGFR (r=0.26).<p>Conclusions: This study suggests that endogenous or cleaved sLNGFR, but not soluble TrkA may participate in OA pain modulation thus supporting further research into soluble LNGFR as a therapeutic target in OA.
where it says he took all his savings and "beat arthritis": it doesn't appear he has arthritis, he's an entrepreneur who took all his savings and founded a drug startup company with an idea he had around the time Pfizer laid him off
> The drug is based on a molecule he discovered while working at Pfizer, and can be delivered via a once-a-month EpiPen-style injection, where it restores protective processes to diseased joints and enables the regeneration of affected tissues. It works by blocking a compound that supports the nerve cells involved in transmitting pain signals to the brain.<p>So, it restores lost tissue by numbing nerves? This makes no sense.<p>Wonder if it's just poor reporting or if there is something to this?
<i>The drug is based on a molecule he discovered while working at Pfizer</i><p><i>On leaving the company, he acquired the intellectual property [IP] rights from his former employer</i><p>A lot of people don't do this when they leave or are terminated. It doesn't usually succeed, but it's always worth at least making the attempt. (In this case, Pfizer gave him the IP rights to the molecule he discovered in exchange for a portion of his company.)
One thing I learned repeatedly while dealing with a chronic health condition is to never assume that you're "about to beat it". I've had that feeling about 1000 times now, and telling that to my family and friends just made me sound like an idiot, since I would invariably regress again.<p>Now I'm at a point I would only be fine with saying this if I didn't have any issues after a prolonged interval.
Has anyone treated arthritis with diet? I feel way better when I get off processed foods for a few days.<p>(Not sure if I have arthritis but really sore hips and lower back.)
Tangential question: as I now start suffering from arthritis in my hands, I was wondering if there is anything linked to diet that could help reduce it?<p>I had read that fatty fishes were a good source to reduce pain but in your experience, is there any other food/lifestyle changes that can help alleviate it before resorting to medication?
They had very good, robust Phase II results.<p>Thinks can go wrong in Phase III.<p>Relyvrio (HIV vaccine) did well in P2 but flopped on P3.<p>Cancer drug xevinapant failed in P3 after Merck executives were reassuring analysts that the failure of a phase 3 trial of xevinapant was “unlikely.”
Anecdote: I have reactive arthritis comorbid with ulcerative colitis. I was getting debilitating arthritis flares once a month until I stopped eating gluten, peanuts, and added sugar. I haven't had an arthritis flare since eliminating these foods.<p>My rheumatologist wanted to put me on methotrexate but I declined out of fear if the side effects. He never mentioned anything about diet, but clearly a dietary intervention worked for me.
Was hoping to see something that actually helps regenerate cartilage but this seems to be more in the range of a specific pain killer.<p>This looks more promising:
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ1CLtc8oIk" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ1CLtc8oIk</a>
I used to work in life sciences data analysis.<p>Many times, I met people who genuinely believed they were super close and about to achieve a "huge" breakthrough.<p>In each case, the scientists themselves, in their minds, were absolutely convinced they were on the brink of unfathomable achievements: curing Alzheimers, or some cancers etc.<p>Particularly true for the scientists in biomedical startups - they were like Mulder from X-Files; they all wanted (and were desperately eager) to believe. Like Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos, I think she completely believed her own exaggerations and BS - at some point, fact and fiction merge.<p>Thus I've become extraordinarily skeptical of articles like these.
My cat has the occasional bad arthritis flare up which we give her Solensia (another NGF targeting drug, but via monoclonal antibodies) for. It works incredibly well. Within 12 hours they go from being barely able to walk to being totally fine and mobile again.
I <i>really</i> want him to be a success, but...<p><i>> The drug is based on a molecule he discovered while working at Pfizer</i><p>tells me that he'd better have good lawyers on speed-dial.
More paywalled content being posted to HN? Ugh.<p><a href="https://archive.ph/Cwtq3" rel="nofollow">https://archive.ph/Cwtq3</a>
This is revolutionary!! truly exciting stuff, I wish I read more about these sorts of breakthroughs monthly....I hope we'll get to this level more regularly with AI biology models.
> It is hoped the drug — which is not a cure but will make the condition much less painful for sufferers<p>> It works by blocking a compound that supports the nerve cells involved in transmitting pain signals to the brain.<p>Unfortunately it doesn't fix the underlying issue.
> The drug is based on a molecule he discovered while working at Pfizer<p>I can see Pfizer lawyers salivating uncontrollably after reading that phrase. Extremely unwise of him to mention this.
Headline seems a bit overdone. The drug completed Phase 1 trials. Roughly 14% of successful P1 trials eventually get approved. It'll be probably another 5-10 years before this finishes P3.
> The drug is based on a molecule he discovered while working at Pfizer.<p>Is Pharma different than Engineering in terms of IP?<p>If my former employer has evidence that what I am working on in a new gig was discovered while on company time using company resources couldn't they sue?