In this webinar, our speakers presented an innovative approach of focusing on a unique mechanism of action of compounds that involve an indirect targeting to control surface expression and activity of the NaV1.7 channel. Professor Rajesh Khanna and Professor David Finn discussed how researchers are capitalising on this unique pathway for NaV1.7 regulation and have identified compounds designed to inhibit enzyme interactions to block relevant proteins.

Over 266 compounds have been identified in this manner and this webinar explored some of the results where there has been inhibition of interactions, anti-allodynic activities without loss of motoric performance or sympathetic side effects. Animal pharmacological studies have also indicated where some of the compounds displayed extended duration of action compared with morphine upon intrathecal administration to rats. Additional studies demonstrated inhibition of NaV1.7 currents in human and porcine sensory neurons, thus increasing likelihood of translational success and ‘de-risking’ compound selection.

Invited speakers:

• Professor Rajesh Khanna, Professor of Pharmacology, College of Medicine at the University of Arizona and Associate Editor of Neuronal Signaling.
• Professor David Finn, Professor of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Centre for Pain Research at the National University of Ireland Galway.

This webinar was chaired by Dr Eilís Dowd, Lecturer in Pharmacology at National University of Ireland, Galway, and Associate Editor of the Biochemical Society's Neuronal Signaling journal.