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Comment by phailhaus | Hacker News Reader

Not quite.

> 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.

The mechanism might be to affect the nerve cells involved in pain signaling, but the effect is to actually help regenerate tissue.

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> enables the regeneration of affected tissues

This needs some heavy scrutiny, it seems like this is related to tanezumab. Which yes, blocks pain by affectively sticking a lego in front of another lego that when connected says hey I'm hurt, but doesn't pro-actively heal anything as far as I'm aware.

The usual play with claims like this is that with reduced inflammation there might be a better chance of circulation allowing for better natural regeneration (somewhat true?). But active regeneration of damaged tissue especially in places typically afflicted with athritis is a bit more complex because it's often at osteochondral boundry layers aren't as vascularized.

Fantastic, but the title is still misleading.

  > It is hoped the drug — which is not a cure but will make the condition much less painful for sufferers [...]

As a youngish sufferer of osteoarthritis in my foot I had my hopes up, however there is no mention of cartilage or bone in the article.

The “cure” for osteoarthritis would need to regenerate or replace damaged or missing cartilage, a seemingly impossible task from my limited understanding.

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