AlzeCure Pharma AB (publ) announced that a scientific article has been published on the clinical phase Ib results that support the continued development of the lead drug candidate Painless ACD440. The article, titled Topically applied novel TRPV1 receptor antagonist, ACD440 Gel, reduces evoked pain in healthy, has been published online in the volunteers, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study European Journal of Pain and is written by Marta Segerdahl, MD, PhD and CMO at AlzeCure Pharma. Co-authors are Magnus Halldin, Matthias Rother, Traian Popescu and Klaus Schaffler.

The article focuses on the clinical phase Ib study with ACD440. The results show that ACD440 had significant analgesic effects of laser-induced pain compared to placebo both when the individual was asked to rate their pain experience and when pain-related brain activity was measured. Furthermore, significant effects on mechanical pain sensitivity were also observed.

The results also showed that the analgesic effects lasted for at least 9 hours and that the product was very well tolerated as a topical gel on the skin, which indicates good suitability for further clinical development, i.e. as a local treatment against nociceptive and neuropathic pain conditions. ACD440 is a first-in-class TRPV1 antagonist in clinical phase being developed as a new topical local treatment for peripheral neuropathic pain. The drug candidate, which was incorporated via a strategic in-licensing, originated in Big Pharma and is based on a strong scientific foundation, which in 2021 was awarded a Nobel Prize.

The substance is developed as a gel for topical use, which keeps the systemic exposure very low while the concentration of the substance locally can be kept high to achieve a maximum analgesic effect, and over a long period of time.