Modified form of Botox could be used as pain relief for people with chronic nerve pain, scientists say

A modified form of Botox, derived from the botulinum protein, has been engineered to provide long-term pain relief for patients with nerve injuries. Current treatments for the approximately seven out of 100 people in the UK with chronic nerve pain often cause dangerous side effects. Morphine and fentanyl offer short-term pain relief of up to five months. However, the modified Botox has been found effective in reducing pain-related behaviors in models of human pain without inducing paralysis or side effects. The non-toxic Botox produced by UK and US researchers could offer relief for years to patients with chronic pain if tested successfully on humans.

The treatment involves a single injection of the new nonparalytic blocker being administered at the site of pain. The modified Botox is envisaged as a potential way to improve the quality of life for millions of individuals worldwide who endure chronic pain. Drug treatments for pain relief have been limited to up to five months use because of the risks of addiction, drug abuse and overdose. The team of scientists from the Universities of Sheffield and Reading, as well as University College London (UCL), and US-based biopharmaceutical start-up company, Neuresta, are planning future testing on humans. The research was funded by the UK Medical Research Council (MRC). Botox brand name has been frequently used over many years by celebrities for cosmetic purposes to remove lines and wrinkles from the face.

The process to modify Botox to provide pain relief required careful engineering to ensure there were no adverse side effects or paralysis. The protein used as a muscle relaxant in Botox is derived from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum that produces Botulinum toxin. Injections of Botulinum toxin can paralyze muscles, and large doses can be dangerous. The modified version of the protein is non-toxic and can reduce pain-like behavior in models of human pain. The engineering of the modified Botox could offer a transformative potential in a global chronic pain industry that is estimated to be worth $175 billion by 2026.

Scientists have also identified a second pain-blocking protein that has fewer side effects and could work alongside the new modified Botox. This protein targets opioid receptors located in the nervous system, reducing chronic pain-related behaviors in tests in mice without producing adverse side effects or addiction. Chronic nerve pain is a widespread condition, and it can lead to depression, anger, and feelings of hopelessness. The UK scientists hope that the non-toxic protein’s pain relief properties will open the door to the development of pain treatments that could lessen the impact of this condition on millions worldwide.

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