Khaberni - Recently, two promising developments suggest the possibility of providing new treatment options in the near future for severe knee pain, which in most cases is due to degenerative arthritis.
This inflammation is a condition that affects the joints and negatively impacts the lives of those affected, with estimates suggesting that it could affect a billion people worldwide by 2050.
This condition causes persistent knee pain, and leads to a gradual loss of movement that can make walking, climbing stairs, or even standing painful.
The first development: new medications
According to "Daily Mail", experts now believe that a new class of drugs known as nerve growth factor inhibitors could present a different approach by targeting the biological factors causing the knee pain itself, instead of merely alleviating the pain signals reaching the brain.
In late last year, a clinical trial for an experimental drug named LEVI-04 showed a 50% reduction in pain, along with improved stiffness and motor functions in patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.
The drug targets nerve growth factor 3 (NT-3), a protein that stimulates nerve growth and becomes overly active in damaged knee joints.
LEVI-04 works by inhibiting NT-3, effectively reducing the pain signals coming directly from the knee joint.
Rather than masking the pain in the brain, the drug aims to prevent the nerves inside the joint from amplifying the pain in the first place.
The drug is injected directly into the affected knee, allowing it to act locally while avoiding side effects that affect the entire body, such as nausea or addiction.
Researchers say that in addition to relieving pain, LEVI-04 may also help protect the joint structure itself and slow down cartilage deterioration, although this is still under research.
Weight loss injections: the second development
The benefits of weight loss injections extend beyond just weight loss. They have already been praised
These injections have the ability to treat liver diseases, reduce the risk of heart attacks, and slow the progression of chronic kidney diseases. Researchers now believe they could play a role in treating arthritis, particularly in the knee.
Experts say that injections of GLP-1 offer "real hope" as a potential new therapeutic approach.
A Taiwanese study conducted in 2025 involving nearly 1000 patients with knee arthritis found that those who received weight loss injections were significantly less likely to undergo knee replacement surgery.
The relationship between weight and knee pain
These findings reinforce established evidence linking increased weight with this condition. Research has shown a strong association between body weight and the risk of developing arthritis.
A recent study found that every increase of 5 points in body mass index (ratio of weight to height) increases the likelihood of the disease by 35%.
