PAIN-CARE · Chronic PAIN eradiCAtion by taRgeting Schwann cElls

About 25% of the adult population experiences chronic pain, which disrupts daily activities and severely affects the patient’s quality of life. In Europe, the socioeconomic burden of chronic pain runs into billions of euros annually and represents 3–10% of the GDP. The current mainstays of pain treatment are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and opioids, but their prolonged use is frequently associated with life-threatening adverse events and physical dependence. There is therefore an urgent need for new pharmacological strategies with superior efficacy and safety than those of NSAIDs and opioids.PAIN-CARE proposes to address chronic pain signaling using inhibitors targeting the Schwann cell proalgesic pathway. Previous research has shown the crucial role of Schwann cells in sustaining chronic pain. This project aims at developing Schwann cell selective drugs for chronic pain treatment, creating more clinically ready compounds based on bifunctional chimeric antagonists, with an inhibitory activity 100% higher than that of the combination of the two individual antagonists in mouse chronic pain models. The new Schwann Cell selective Analgesic Drugs (SCADs) will provide a dramatic change in the pain treatment paradigm, reducing treatment-related side effects and improving persistence.During this PoC, we aim to identify lead bifunctional chimeric molecules that preferentially antagonise two Schwann cell proteins. We will carry out tests in vitro and in vivo to demonstrate the novel compounds’ feasibility and superior inhibition efficiency when compared to the currently used compounds. Furthermore, our aim is to translate the results to a pre-commercialisation phase through the definition of the innovation commercial feasibility and potential, which will then be validated in discussions with relevant market players. A strong IPR strategy will be designed to ensure an advantageous position in the value chain of analgesics for pain treatment.