Researchers discover a promising compound to treat neuropathic pain
Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin have discovered a new molecule for treating neuropathic pain.
Neuropathic pain results from nerve injury in a variety of bodily tissues, including skin, muscle, and joints, and is notoriously difficult to treat. Patients with neuropathic pain frequently experience painful sensations such as electric shocks, tingling, or burning.
The research team’s new non-opioid treatment strategy showed promise in mice models.
During the trials, the compound was observed to lower hypersensitivity in mice, achieved via binding to a protein associated with neuropathic pain, proving effective.
“We found it [molecule] to be an effective painkiller, and the effects were rather long-lived,” said Stephen Martin, the co-corresponding author of the paper.
“When we tested it on different models, diabetic neuropathy and chemotherapy-induced neuropathy, for example, we found this compound has an incredible beneficial effect,” added Martin.
In a press release, the team highlighted that although numerous pain medicines exist on the market, these only have a minimal effect on alleviating this sort of pain. Furthermore, these drugs may have serious a adverse effects, including the risk of addiction.
Advantages of the newly identified compound
The team identified a new compound, dubbed FEM-1689, which presents several notable advantages.
One key feature is its lack of interaction with opioid receptors in the body, which makes it a viable alternative to existing pain drugs prone to induce addiction.
This trait gains more relevance in the context of treating neuropathic pain since traditional drugs may face restrictions and downsides due to opioid usage.
Furthermore, FEM-1689 provides additional advantages by regulating sensitivity and the integrated stress response (ISR)— a complex network of cellular signaling systems that regulates the body’s response to injuries and diseases.
According to the release, when appropriately controlled, the ISR helps restore equilibrium and aids healing. However, when the ISR becomes dysregulated, it can contribute to the development of a variety of issues, including cancer, diabetes, and metabolic problems.
As a result, the capacity of this novel molecule to control the ISR implies that it may have implications beyond pain treatment.
“It’s our goal to make this compound into a drug that can be used to treat chronic pain without the dangers of opioids,” Martin said. “Neuropathic pain is often a debilitating condition that can affect people their entire lives, and we need a treatment that is well tolerated and effective.”
NuvoNuro Inc., a firm co-founded by Martin and other research participants, has won funding from the National Institutes of Health HEAL Initiative.
This initiative funds research aimed at developing scientific solutions to address the national opioid crisis. The grant has been awarded to support the creation of a drug based on the discoveries made in their research.
“Our funding from NIH on this continuing project through our spin-out company, NuvoNuro, has the potential to take us toward clinical development in the next few years, which is extraordinarily exciting,” said Theodore Price, a professor of neuroscience at The University of Texas at Dallas and co-corresponding author of the paper, in the press release.
Source: Interesting Engineering
This Tiny Version of a Human Heart on a Chip Beats Like The Real Thing
Researchers discover a promising compound to treat neuropathic pain