A team of international researchers, including scientists from the University of Adelaide, has developed a new approach to pain relief using a well-known chemical reaction.
This new method, which could change the way chronic pain is treated, involves a special type of medication called a “prodrug.”
The findings were recently published in Nature Biotechnology.
Led by Professor Andrew Abell from the Department of Chemistry and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics (CNBP) at the University of Adelaide, the research team includes Dr. Thomas Avery, Ph.D. candidate Dion Turner, and Associate Professor Peter Grace from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Researchers from Texas Southern University also contributed to the project.
This new prodrug is unique because it remains inactive in the body until it reaches the area of pain, where it is then “turned on” by a specific chemical reaction.
The prodrug reacts with reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as hydrogen peroxide, which are found in higher amounts at pain sites. This allows the drug to target pain more precisely, offering relief only where it is needed.
“Our team created a prodrug that can relieve chronic pain in a targeted way,” explained Professor Abell. “We were the first to explore using this type of chemical reaction in a biological context, and it could potentially be useful in other medical applications as well.”
In preclinical testing, the prodrug provided localized relief for sciatic nerve injuries and other types of chronic pain involving oxidative stress, such as osteoarthritis, chemotherapy-induced neuropathy, and diabetic neuropathy.
By designing the prodrug to be inactive until it reaches the pain site, the team has developed a way to prevent unnecessary exposure to the drug in other parts of the body.
Testing revealed that taking the compound orally for several days helped to reverse sensitivity to touch and cold even six months after injury. The pain relief effect depended on the dose, and researchers noted that repeated doses maintained pain relief without causing tolerance—a common issue with strong painkillers like morphine.
“This was a huge finding because tolerance to painkillers limits their effectiveness over time. With our prodrug, we saw long-lasting pain relief without that drawback,” said Dion Turner. “There’s a huge need for non-addictive chronic pain treatments, especially as many current options, like opioids, can lead to addiction.”
The research team believes this new approach could be revolutionary for chronic pain treatment. While current drugs only reduce nerve activity, this prodrug works by reducing molecules that trigger pain signals, providing a different approach to pain relief.
The team members have also started a company called Immunologic to raise funds for further development and pre-clinical testing, with hopes of moving toward human clinical trials. Immunologic’s Executive Chairman and CEO, Dr. Stephen Collins, says, “No other company is using this approach to treat pain by addressing oxidative stress and inflammation.”
The researchers hope their work will lead to safer, more effective, and non-addictive options for those suffering from chronic pain.
If you care about pain, please read studies about how to manage gout with a low-purine diet, and a guide to eating right for arthritis.
For more health information, please see recent studies about the link between processed foods and chronic diseases, and avoid these 8 foods to ease arthritis pain.
Source: University of Adelaide.
