Chronic pain affects one in every five individuals, yet effective treatment options are far and few between. Too often, chronic pain patients are left to choose between opioids, anticonvulsants for nerve pain and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen, all of which present their own negative side effects.
Canadian opioid prescriptions have risen dramatically in recent years, surpassing 20 million prescriptions written annually. Historically known for addiction risks and severe consequences like abuse and overdose, opioids are overprescribed, harmful and often insufficient to treat pain. Meanwhile, the over-the-counter accessibility of NSAIDs complicates efforts to mitigate potential interactions with other medications, adding to their adverse effects on the gastrointestinal and cardiovascular systems. Anticonvulsants like gabapentin, used for nerve damage pain, also come with many side effects, like swelling, rashes, seizures and drowsiness.
鈥淭his is the limited arsenal we have right now, and it is simply not good enough. Clinicians and patients are not satisfied with this,鈥� says 91社区 neuroscience professor and pain specialist Philippe S茅gu茅la, PhD. , located at the Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital), has studied pain receptors for nearly three decades in the hopes of finding a safer, opiate-sparing alternative to relieve pain. His team has focused on deepening their understanding of the neurobiology of pain, investigating genes, cells and circuits related to pain perception and analgesia鈥攖he inability to feel pain.
They were able to identify a class of neuronal receptors鈥攁cid-sensing ion channels (ASICs)鈥攁s promising targets for pain relief. Their findings suggested that blocking peripheral ASICs could serve as an effective alternative to addictive opioid-based drugs for pain management.
With prior collaborations in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, Prof. S茅gu茅la was driven to leverage his expertise to help chronic pain patients. He admits he was eager to explore the translational and therapeutic potential of these findings rather than solely conducting basic research on ASICs. 鈥淓veryone knows someone affected by chronic pain and feels helpless,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e need a real qualitative step in the way we approach pain treatment and analgesia. We shouldn鈥檛 be afraid of failing, because regardless of the outcome, basic and translational science will have progressed.鈥�
With support from NeuroSphere, Prof. S茅gu茅la secured early-stage funding from and in 2020 for the preclinical development of this new therapy and the creation of Neurasic Therapeutics, a biotech company. 鈥淣euroSphere was pivotal to the creation of Neurasic Therapeutics. The NeuroSphere team was enthusiastic and pushed us forward,鈥� recalls Prof. S茅gu茅la. 鈥淭hey came to all our pitch meetings and provided us with support and professional advice. They were very helpful in fine-tuning the message.鈥�
In 2022, Neurasic Therapeutics obtained even more funding from HBHL, and the Louise and Alan Edwards Foundation through NeuroSphere鈥檚 Neuro-Partnerships Program. With three patents filed and past progression to drug safety testing stages, Neurasic Therapeutics is inching closer to phase one clinical trials. If successful, these ASIC blockers could offer an opioid-free solution to the treatment of acute and chronic pain, potentially revolutionizing the field of pain management.
For now, the outlook is highly promising. 鈥淚n terms of potency and efficacy in vivo, the drug is already a success. Even ahead of testing in humans, we were able to confirm the absence of gastrointestinal side effects,鈥� explains Prof. S茅gu茅la. 鈥淭his potentially offers an interesting clinical avenue, as our drug could be used alongside NSAIDs, reducing the incidence and severity of their side effects.鈥�
In hindsight, Prof. S茅gu茅la paints a favourable image of his experience in the corporate side of pharmacology, which can have a positive impact on any lab in the Canadian landscape thanks to its goal-oriented approach. 鈥淚 like the milestones, the concrete objectives, the precise timeline involved in biotech,鈥� he contends. 鈥淭here may be less freedom and more pressure than in academia, but it is very motivating and stimulating to try to reach tangible goals for the benefit of patients.鈥�
Encouraging researchers to take risks, Prof. S茅gu茅la emphasizes the transformative potential of their work: 鈥淐ommercialization is a very positive experience for the scientists who are willing to dive. We have nothing to lose,鈥� he says. 鈥淓ven if the venture doesn鈥檛 culminate into successful drug development, the optimization of these molecules鈥� selectivity and potency will at the very least generate unique scientific tools.鈥�
Beyond the potential of his own discovery, Prof. S茅gu茅la is optimistic for the emerging treatment options for chronic pain. 鈥淥ur adventure here is only one small part of a much larger story,鈥� he reveals. 鈥淭here are currently very interesting clinical trials happening globally, also in the process of testing novel pain targets. There are very promising advancements in the field, all driven by recent progress in the biology of pain. There is hope for chronic pain patients, now more than ever.鈥�
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Photo caption
From left to right: Ariel Ase, PhD, Research Associate (Co-inventor IP), Philippe S茅gu茅la, PhD, Full Professor in the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery at 91社区 (Project lead) and Jonas Friard, PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher.
The Neurasic Therapeutics team at the Neuro, led by Prof. Philippe S茅gu茅la, is revolutionizing pain treatment through the development of novel analgesic compounds.
