Treating Neuropathic Pain with Greater Selectivity

SLU ID 20-026 |

Selective estrogen modulators for treating neuropathic pain

Background

Neuropathic pain can arise from nervous system injuries due to trauma, disease (such as diabetes), or neurotoxins (such as chemotherapy). It is often severe, debilitating, and difficult to treat. In 2019, the global market for neuropathic pain treatments was roughly US$6. billion. High prevalence of cancer and increases in the U.S. geriatric population are driving demand for such treatments.

Overview

SLU researchers have demonstrated that a type of selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) can inhibit neuropathic pain. The SERM targets only one family of receptors, thus enabling selectivity. The researchers have conducted in vivo testing of these compounds.

Benefits

The potential advantages of this technology over existing solutions include:

• Increasing the efficacy of treatments for neuropathic pain.

• Increasing the selectivity of treatments for neuropathic pain.

Applications

This technology may provide new treatment modalities for pain associated with cancer and cancer treatments as well as other types of neuropathic pain. These modalities could be used as an adjuvant to improve current therapies or as a high-performance replacement to current therapies. This technology could also provide new research tools, including agonists and antagonists for the study of the physiological relevance of certain protein biologies in general in health and disease.

Potential applications of this technology include:

• Treating traumatic injuries.

• Treating symptoms associated with diabetes.

• Mitigating the adverse affects of chemotherapy.

Opportunity

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