Neuropathic pain arises as a direct consequence of a lesion or disease affecting the somatosensory nervous system. There are two types of neuropathic pain: peripheral, such as phantom pains and Diabetes-Induced Neuropathic Pain (DNP), and central, such as multiple sclerosis-related pain.

Neuropathic pain was not clearly defined mechanistically until 2008. Between 2006 and 2012, scientists and clinicians — currently associated with Releviate and UC San Diego, Duke University, Sanford Burnham Institute, and UC Riverside —discovered the molecular mechanism of neuropathic pain.

Before 2000, neuropathic pain was considered more of a psychiatric disorder. It was referred to as “psychotic pain” by many physicians, largely due to the misunderstood nature of the pain.

Neuropathic Pain

Pain arising as a direct consequence of a lesion or disease affecting the somatosensory nervous system.

• Heat, cold, touch hypersensitivity (allodynia)

• Burning

• Tingling

• Prickling

• Bursts of pain

• Loss of sensation

• Shooting

• Pins and needles

• Stabbing

It wasn’t until 2008 that neuropathic pain was clearly defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) as “pain arising as a direct consequence of a lesion or disease affecting the somatosensory nervous system.”

Releviate is pursuing three indications in neuropathic pain: Small Fiber Neuropathy (SFN)Diabetes-induced Neuropathic Pain (DNP), and prevention of chemotherapy induced neuropathic pain (CIPN).