Painless discoveries
Fine Chemicals Group, London, 28 November 2006
Pain affects all of us at some time in our lives. Achieving successful pain relief can be difficult. Nociception: taking the pain out of drug discovery is dedicated to some of the most recent discoveries in this area.
 Pain is the unpleasant sensory or
emotional feeling that the body produces as a warning
sign that it has been damaged. Nociception, the perception
of pain, affects everyone at some point in their
lives and it is the most common reason for seeking
medical help. Despite progress made in the development
of treatments for pain, many patients still do not
achieve satisfactory pain relief. Aspirin, ibuprofen,
non-selective COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitors or even paracetamol
are useful for moderate levels of pain as well
as having anti-fever and anti-inflammatory properties.
Unfortunately none of these drugs are perfect for
severe pain or long term use. Ibuprofen has been linked
to increased risk of breast cancer (C&I 2005 11, 8).
Morphine is used regularly for the treatment of severe
pain, but comes with side-effects like constipation,
tolerance of the analgesic effects and, obviously, addiction.
Greater understanding of aspirin’s action was
expected to allow scientists to create new drugs that
will treat the broad variety of pain states – without
the incumbent side-effects of aspirin. However even
carefully designed drugs such as COX-2 selective inhibitors
(coxibs) have not matched expectations (see C&I 2003 9, 8).
The side effects observed during the use of coxibs,
most notably the drugs’ effects on the cardiovascular
system, have recently led to the withdrawal of Merck’s Vioxx (see C&I 2006 17, 6 and C&I 2006 9, 5). Indeed,
Merck is facing over 11 000 lawsuits from patients who
have taken Vioxx. Recently the company has been ordered
to pay $51m to Gerald Barnett of South Carolina,
who claimed that his heart attack was a result of
Merck’s failure to warn of Vioxx’s risks (C&I 2006 17, 6).
Overall, the side effects observed with marketed drugs
have highlighted that current treatments for pain are
not entirely satisfactory.
As a consequence of the issues surrounding pain
therapy, considerable efforts in both academia and the
pharmaceutical sector worldwide are seeking to understand
the diverse sources of the different pain states
and thereby develop improved novel treatments.
Nociception: taking
the pain out of drug discovery is a one-day
symposium organised by SCI Fine Chemicals Group
dedicated to some of the most recent discoveries in
pain research and will take place on 28 November at
SCI International Headquarters in Belgrave Square,
London, UK.
The symposium intends to introduce chemists to
pain as a clinical target and is focused on medicinal
chemistry approaches to pain therapy. For those scientists
unfamiliar with the therapeutic area, an introductory
lecture will be given by biologist Andrew Rice,
Imperial College, London, on neuropathic pain, one of
the more distressing chronic disorders in this area. The
presentation will cover pre-clinical models and shortcomings
in clinical pain treatments.
The day’s agenda will be completed by several presentations
describing recent progress in the area of
nociception on targets including migraine, inflammatory
and neuropathic pain. The molecular targets that
will be discussed during the symposium will be CB2
receptor agonists (GSK), FAAH inhibitors (Johnson &
Johnson), calcium and sodium channel modulators
(from Pfizer and Vertex, respectively), TRPV1 (vanilloid)
antagonists and mGluR1 antagonists (Pfizer). Some
of these pharmaceutical programmes have drug
candidates that have already progressed into clinical
trials.
There will be an opportunity to debate the areas
covered, the way forward, and the promises for the
future at the end of each talk, during the refreshment
breaks or wine mixer at the end of the day.
Click here for further information on the symposium and booking
details.
Nat Monck
Vernalis (R&D)
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