In 2025, the market reached a valuation of USD 1.2 billion across the seven major pharmaceutical markets, including the United States, the EU4, the United Kingdom, and Japan. The United States currently holds the largest share, accounting for approximately 75% of the total market as the number of diagnosed prevalent cases across these regions nears 28 million.

Pharmaceutical companies are increasingly focusing on disease-modifying candidates, such as Spine Biopharma’s SB-01, DiscGenics’ IDCT, and Mesoblast and Grünenthal’s Rexlemestrocel-L. These therapies target the underlying pathology of disc degeneration using methods like stem cell injection and peptide signaling suppression. As these clinical candidates progress through late-stage trials, they offer a potential alternative to surgery and long-term opioid use, addressing a substantial treatment gap where patient adherence to current conservative care remains below 40%.