A minimally invasive device for delivering a therapeutic agent percutaneously to a target tissue of an intervertebral disc, the device comprising: a rigid introducer needle (200, 500) including an elongated cannula (208, 508) having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal and distal ends forming openings and being in communication along the cannula, and a stylet (205, 605) extending through the cannula and having a tip that closes the opening at the distal end of the cannula, the cannula and stylet configured to allow insertion of the needle percutaneously into tissue; and a delivery catheter (300, 800) that fits coaxially through the introducer needle when the stylet is removed, the delivery catheter being longer than the introducer needle and including an elongated hollow shaft (308, 808), the delivery catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal and distal ends forming openings and being in communication along the hollow shaft, the delivery catheter being extendable from the distal end of the introducer needle and into a target tissue of an intervertebral disc; the device characterized in that the elongated hollow shaft has a preset bend (306, 806) providing a pre-shaped curved distal portion along a length of the delivery catheter, wherein the preset bend (306, 806) of the delivery catheter is such that the catheter upon exiting the introducer needle follows an oval path having an initial diameter between about 1.5 cm and about 3.5 cm, the distal opening being a side opening (312, 812) to the inside of the preset bend, the distal end of the delivery catheter including a closed, blunt tip (304, 804), the combination of the blunt tip and preset bend allowing the delivery catheter to advance through but not out of an annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc, the side opening being orientable toward a center of the intervertebral disc for delivering a therapeutic agent to the target tissue. a rigid introducer needle (200, 500) including an elongated cannula (208, 508) having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal and distal ends forming openings and being in communication along the cannula, and a stylet (205, 605) extending through the cannula and having a tip that closes the opening at the distal end of the cannula, the cannula and stylet configured to allow insertion of the needle percutaneously into tissue; and a delivery catheter (300, 800) that fits coaxially through the introducer needle when the stylet is removed, the delivery catheter being longer than the introducer needle and including an elongated hollow shaft (308, 808), the delivery catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal and distal ends forming openings and being in communication along the hollow shaft, the delivery catheter being extendable from the distal end of the introducer needle and into a target tissue of an intervertebral disc; the device characterized in that the elongated hollow shaft has a preset bend (306, 806) providing a pre-shaped curved distal portion along a length of the delivery catheter, wherein the preset bend (306, 806) of the delivery catheter is such that the catheter upon exiting the introducer needle follows an oval path having an initial diameter between about 1.5 cm and about 3.5 cm, the distal opening being a side opening (312, 812) to the inside of the preset bend, the distal end of the delivery catheter including a closed, blunt tip (304, 804), the combination of the blunt tip and preset bend allowing the delivery catheter to advance through but not out of an annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc, the side opening being orientable toward a center of the intervertebral disc for delivering a therapeutic agent to the target tissue.