Treating Chronic Neuropathic Pain

SLU ID 14-012 | A3 Adenosine Receptor Agonists

Background

Chronic neuropathic pain (NP) is a widespread condition that is often associated with diabetes, cancer, injury, exposure to toxic substances and a variety of other diseases such as AIDS and Parkinson's disease. When it occurs subsequent to cancer chemotherapy or radiation therapy, it often necessitates the discontinuation of a life-saving treatment. Currently-used therapies for NP are poorly efficacious and suffer from serious side effects, ranging from liver toxicity to addiction and personality changes. Opioids, which are effective against acute pain, are not the first line of treatment for chronic NP because of addiction liability, low efficacy, development of antinociceptive tolerance and hypersensitivities to thermal, cold and mechanical insults.

Overview

Researchers at Saint Louis University have developed a compound that provides a method for treating or preventing neuropathic pain.

Benefits

The potential benefits of this technology include:

• Increasing the efficacy of treatments for chronic neuropathic pain

• Minimizing the adverse affects associated with treating chronic neuropathic pain

Applications

The potential applications of this technology include:

• treating chronic neuropathic pain associated with a variety of diseases and circumstances

Opportunity

Saint Louis University is seeking a partner to further develop and commercialize this technology.