Virginia Tech Researchers Explore New Drug for Chronic Pain Management

Challenges of Current Pain Treatments

Researchers at Virginia Tech are investigating a new medication aimed at treating chronic pain while minimizing the addictive potential associated with opioids. Traditionally, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin are utilized for mild to moderate pain relief. However, their effectiveness in managing chronic nerve pain can be limited. NSAIDs work by inhibiting cyclooxygenase enzymes that produce pain-inducing compounds known as prostaglandins. Unfortunately, some pain pathways remain resistant to NSAID treatment, leading many patients to rely on opioids for pain management.

The Potential of ML351

The research team from the Virginia Tech School of Neuroscience has focused on a novel compound named ML351, which targets 12/15-lipoxygenase enzymes. These enzymes play a crucial role in certain pain signaling pathways that do not respond to NSAIDs. Their findings, published in the journal *Pain*, involved testing ML351’s effects on mice with induced NSAID-resistant neuropathy.

Study Findings

The results indicated that ML351 significantly reduced the activity of 12/15-lipoxygenase. Mice treated with ML351 exhibited a notable decrease in hypersensitivity, as evidenced by lower flinching responses to external stimuli. Given the risks associated with long-term opioid use, ML351 presents a promising alternative for managing chronic pain.

Future Research Directions

There is an urgent demand for safe and effective first-line treatments for chronic pain relief. However, ML351 is still several years away from potential market availability. The research team plans to conduct further animal studies before advancing to human clinical trials.

References

Gregus AM, Buczynski MW, Dumlao DS, Norris PC, Rai G, Simeonov A, Maloney DJ, Jadhav A, Xu Q, Wei SC, Fitzsimmons BL, Dennis EA, Yaksh TL. Inhibition of spinal 15-LOX-1 attenuates TLR4-dependent, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-unresponsive hyperalgesia in male rats. Pain. 2018 Dec;159(12):2620-2629. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001373.

Virginia Tech News. Researchers developing nonopioid drug for chronic pain. EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-12/vt-rdn121118.php