New Antibody Treatment for Neuropathic Pain

Researchers from the University of Toyama and Shionogi & Co., Ltd. published a preclinical study on June 20, 2026, in the journal Pharmaceutics, demonstrating that engineered humanized antibodies targeting the Nav1.7 sodium channel can suppress abnormal neuropathic pain signals in rats for days without impairing normal protective pain or motor function. The authors emphasize that unlike standard pain medications such as pregabalin, which can cause side effects like motor impairment, the experimental antibody candidates Clone1 and S-151128 specifically target Nav1.7 with high selectivity, showing sustained analgesic efficacy even after 96 hours following intravenous administration. The essence of this research lies in selectively neutralizing voltage-gated sodium channels responsible for pathological electrical signaling in sensory neurons while leaving physiological nociception fully intact, offering a safer therapeutic window for chronic nerve pain management. Practical application includes the progression of one of the candidate antibodies, S-151128, into active clinical trials to determine whether these promising animal model outcomes translate into a safe and effective treatment for human patients suffering from neuropathic pain.