Aachen, Germany (OTE) – Grünenthal announced today that the first
healthy volunteers have
been enrolled in a Phase I trial of its voltage-gated sodium channel
(NaV) 1.8 inhibitor. The orally administered investigational medicine
aims to provide a non-opioid therapy option across a range of acute
and chronic pain conditions. Full results of the trial are expected
in the second half of 2026.
The Phase I trial will involve 70 healthy volunteers and
comprises a Single Ascending Dose and a Multiple Ascending Dose part.
It aims to assess the safety and tolerability profile and the
pharmacokinetic characteristics of the investigational medicine. In
addition, the trial will generate initial insights into the
compound’s pharmacology through a cold-pressor test.
“Inhibition of NaV 1.8 offers an exciting opportunity to provide
patients with urgently needed non-opioid pain therapies,” says Uli
Brödl, Chief Scientific Officer, Grünenthal. “While we have seen the
first medicine targeting NaV 1.8 receive FDA approval last year, we
are committed to driving further innovation in this field where
advanced assets may provide enhanced patient outcomes by blocking NaV
1.8 more comprehensively.”
About voltage-gated sodium channels (NaV)
There are a total of nine different NaV channels in the human
body. The NaV 1.8 channel is a clinically and genetically validated
pain target, as the channel plays a significant role in triggering
excitatory signals in nociceptive neurons, which the human brain
perceives as pain. Blocking the NaV 1.8 channel to suppress or
prevent its excitatory signalling will provide a significant
analgesic effect across a range of chronic and acute pain conditions.
About Grünenthal
Grünenthal is a global leader in pain management and related
diseases. As a science-based, fully integrated pharmaceutical
company, we have a long track record of bringing innovative
treatments and state-of-the-art technologies to patients worldwide.
Our purpose is to change lives for the better – and innovation is our
passion. We focus all our activities and efforts on working towards
our vision of a World Free of Pain.
Grünenthal is headquartered in Aachen, Germany, and has
affiliates in 28 countries across Europe, Latin America, and the U.S.
Our products are available in approx. 100 countries. In 2024,
Grünenthal employed around 4,300 people and achieved revenues of Ꞓ1.8
billion.
More information: https://www.grunenthal.com
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