Evidence mapPaperPMID 42404489Full record

ArticleJOR spine2026

Lost in Translation: Why Biologic Therapies for Intervertebral Disc Degeneration and Low Back Pain Have Not Reached the Clinic (Yet): Bridging Biology, Pain Phenotyping, and Trial Design.

Luca Ambrosio, Jordy Schol, Clara Ruiz-Fernandez, Vincenzo Denaro, Gianluca Vadalà, Daisuke Sakai

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JOR spine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Luca AmbrosioLaboratory for Regenerative Orthopaedics Operative Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico Rome Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2424-1274
Jordy ScholDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery Tokai University School of Medicine Isehara Japan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5489-2591
Clara Ruiz-FernandezDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery Tokai University School of Medicine Isehara Japan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7959-9826
Vincenzo DenaroLaboratory for Regenerative Orthopaedics Operative Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico Rome Italy.
Gianluca VadalàLaboratory for Regenerative Orthopaedics Operative Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico Rome Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7142-1660
Daisuke SakaiDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery Tokai University School of Medicine Isehara Japan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4189-9270

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

From preclinical promise to clinical translation in intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Robust preclinical evidence supports a range of biologic therapies, with consistent improvements in imaging, extracellular matrix composition, inflammation, and behavior. However, a substantial translational gap persists, driven by key challenges including the discordance between IDD and pain, patient heterogeneity, inadequate phenotyping, placebo effects, limitations of preclinical models, hostile disc microenvironment, and practical/clinical trial barriers. A precision medicine framework is crucial to overcome these limitations, based on improved patient stratification, definition of molecular and clinical endotypes linked to targeted therapies, integration of advanced biomarkers, development of more sensitive outcome measures, and optimization of clinical trial design, ultimately aiming to enable successful clinical translation.

Indexed as

clinical trialdisc degenerationlow back painpainregenerationregenerative medicinespinetranslational medicine

Identifiers

PMID42404489
PMCPMC13332123

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.