Targeting Nav1.7: A new approach to long-lasting relief from nerve pain
· Medical Xpressedited by Sadie Harley, reviewed by Andrew Zinin
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Pain is a natural protective mechanism that alerts the body to actual or potential injury. But when nerves themselves are damaged, they can generate abnormal pain signals even in the absence of a new injury. This condition, known as neuropathic pain, can be persistent and difficult to treat. Medicines can sometimes provide inadequate relief or cause unwanted effects, creating a need for treatments that can reduce abnormal pain without interfering with normal pain sensation.
To address this, researchers targeted a protein called Nav1.7, a voltage-gated sodium channel expressed in sensory neurons that contributes to the transmission of electrical signals involved in pain.
The study, conducted by Associate Professor Daisuke Uta of the University of Toyama and Dr. Sosuke Yoneda of Shionogi & Co., Ltd., investigated whether antibodies designed to specifically target Nav1.7 could provide long-lasting relief from neuropathic pain.
The findings were published in Pharmaceutics.
"NaV1.7 is a specialized sodium ion channel in nerve cells that plays an important role in sensing and transmitting pain signals," Uta explains.
The team developed humanized antibodies that could recognize Nav1.7. They began by testing the antibodies in cells to determine whether they could bind specifically to the target and inhibit its function. The results showed that the antibodies selectively bound to Nav1.7 and reduced the electrical activity of nerve cells involved in pain signaling.
In particular, Clone1 and S-151128 showed strong binding to Nav1.7 while exhibiting at least 650-fold and 1,300-fold selectivity, respectively, over the other Nav subtypes tested.
The researchers also tested the antibodies in rats with partial sciatic nerve ligation (PSNL), a model of neuropathic pain. The antibodies were administered intravenously rather than locally into the nerves or spinal cord. Both antibodies reduced the animals' sensitivity to mechanical stimulation in a dose-dependent manner.
At certain doses, their effects were comparable to pregabalin, a commonly used treatment for neuropathic pain. Most notably, the analgesic effects of the antibodies remained stronger than those of pregabalin 96 hours after treatment.
The study also looks beyond animal behavior to understand what happens in their nervous systems. In rats with nerve injury, spinal dorsal horn neurons showed increased spontaneous activity and increased responses to mechanical stimulation.
Antibody treatment reduced both types of activity. The researchers also observed fewer dorsal root ganglion neurons showing mechanically induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK), a marker of neuronal activation, providing additional evidence that the treatment was suppressing abnormal pain signaling.
To determine whether blocking Nav1.7 could also interfere with normal, protective pain sensation, researchers tested animals without nerve injury. The results showed that none of the antibodies significantly changed their responses to mechanical stimulation. Motor function was also assessed using a rotating-rod test.
While the comparison drug pregabalin showed impaired performance at the tested dose, the antibodies did not significantly affect motor function.
"Targeting Nav1.7 could help silence abnormal pain signals while preserving normal protective pain sensation," Uta notes.
The findings suggest that targeting Nav1.7 with antibodies could distinguish abnormal pain caused by nerve damage from normal protective pain sensation. Another notable feature of the approach is the extent of relief. The long-lasting pain relief observed in the rat model highlights the potential of this approach as a treatment strategy for neuropathic pain.
As the findings are still preclinical, the researchers were unable to accurately measure how much antibody reached the injured nerve. In addition, the treatment was evaluated in only one neuropathic pain model, highlighting the need for further studies to determine whether the findings can be replicated in other models. Nevertheless, the study provides preclinical evidence for a potential new strategy for treating neuropathic pain.
The paper also reports that S-151128, one of the antibodies studied, is currently in clinical trials, marking an important step toward determining whether the promising effects seen in animals can be used as a treatment for people.
More information
Sosuke Yoneda et al, A Systemically Administered Humanized Anti-Nav1.7 Antibody with Long-Lasting Analgesic Activity and Preserved Physiological Nociception, Pharmaceutics (2026). DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics18060757
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NeurologyClinical pharmacology Provided by University of Toyama Who's behind this story?
Sadie Harley
BSc Life Sciences & Ecology. Microbiology lab background with pharmaceutical news experience in oil, gas, and renewable industries. Full profile →
Andrew Zinin
Master's in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast. Plays key role in Science X's editorial success. Full profile →
Citation: Targeting Nav1.7: A new approach to long-lasting relief from nerve pain (2026, September 16) retrieved 16 September 2026 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-nav17-approach-relief-nerve-pain.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.