TRPV1-Targeted Drugs in Development for Human Pain Conditions

The transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 (TRPV1) is a non-specific cation channel known for its sensitivity to pungent vanilloid compound (i.e. capsaicin) and noxious stimuli, including heat, low pH or inflammatory mediators. TRPV1 is found in the somatosensory system, particularly primary affer...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Drugs (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2021, Vol.81 (1), p.7-27
Main Authors: Iftinca, Mircea, Defaye, Manon, Altier, Christophe
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analgesics
Antagonists
Burning
Capsaicin
Capsaicin receptors
Chronic pain
Clinical trials
Diabetic neuropathy
Dopamine
Drug development
Drugs
Heat
Hyperthermia
Inflammation
Internal Medicine
Ion channels
Irritable bowel syndrome
Leading Article
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Metabolites
Neuralgia
Nociceptors
Pain
Pain perception
Peptides
Pharmaceutical industry
Pharmacology
Pharmacology/Toxicology
Pharmacotherapy
R&D
Research & development
Sensory neurons
Side effects
Somatosensory system
Spinal cord
Stimuli
Therapeutic targets
Transient receptor potential proteins
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Summary:The transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 (TRPV1) is a non-specific cation channel known for its sensitivity to pungent vanilloid compound (i.e. capsaicin) and noxious stimuli, including heat, low pH or inflammatory mediators. TRPV1 is found in the somatosensory system, particularly primary afferent neurons that respond to damaging or potentially damaging stimuli (nociceptors). Stimulation of TRPV1 evokes a burning sensation, reflecting a central role of the channel in pain. Pharmacological and genetic studies have validated TRPV1 as a therapeutic target in several preclinical models of chronic pain, including cancer, neuropathic, postoperative and musculoskeletal pain. While antagonists of TRPV1 were found to be a valuable addition to the pain therapeutic toolbox, their clinical use has been limited by detrimental side effects, such as hyperthermia. In contrast, capsaicin induces a prolonged defunctionalisation of nociceptors and thus opened the door to the development of a new class of therapeutics with long-lasting pain-relieving effects. Here we review the list of TRPV1 agonists undergoing clinical trials for chronic pain management, and discuss new indications, formulations or combination therapies being explored for capsaicin. While the analgesic pharmacopeia for chronic pain patients is ancient and poorly effective, modern TRPV1-targeted drugs could rapidly become available as the next generation of analgesics for a broad spectrum of pain conditions.
ISSN:0012-6667
1179-1950
DOI:10.1007/s40265-020-01429-2