A Botox-based treatment may have the potential to safely reduce chronic pain over the long term.
The method was developed by scientists at the Universities of Sheffield, Reading and University College London in the UK, and US-based biopharmaceutical company Neuresta.
They claim that a single injection may be effective for months with no danger of paralysis or addiction.
In Life Science Alliance yesterday, Professor Bazbek Davletov of the University of Sheffield and colleagues wrote: “Chronic pain affects one in five people across human societies, with few therapeutic options available.
“Botulinum neurotoxin can provide long-lasting pain relief by inhibiting local release of neuropeptides and neurotransmitters, but its highly paralytic nature has limited its analgesic potential.”
The team used recent advances in protein engineering to develop a simple platform for producing non-paralysing botulinum molecules.
They made two molecules specifically for treating nerve injury-induced pain. Both were capable of acting on sensory neurons, but the structurally elongated version avoided causing motor deficit when tested on rats.
This molecule “targets specific cutaneous nerve fibres and provides sustained pain relief in a rat nerve injury model”, they report.
“Our results demonstrate that novel botulinum molecules can be produced in a simple and safe manner and be useful for treating neuropathic pain.”
Professor Davletov commented: “Currently, painkillers can only relieve chronic pain temporarily and often have unwanted side effects. A single injection of the new nonparalytic blocker at the site of pain could potentially relieve pain for many months in humans and this now needs to be tested.
“We hope that the engineered drug could improve the quality of life for the millions of people world-wide who suffer from chronic pain.”
Leese, C. et al. New botulinum neurotoxin constructs for treatment of chronic pain. Life Science Alliance 11 April 2023; doi: 10.26508/lsa.202201631
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