Lumbar disc hernias can be alleviated with conservative treatments such as painkillers in around 80% of cases, but for the remaining 20%, surgery was the only way to control the pain. However, in 2018, Japan approved a new drug, administered via a single injection, marking a breakthrough for patients seeking alternatives. The drug's development and approval in Japan took around 50 years, and it is now awaiting approval in the United States. We bring you the latest on the therapy.q