VistaGen Therapeutics has presented positive results from preclinical studies of its drug for acute and chronic neuropathic pain in animal models.
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The preclinical studies suggest that AV-101, a first-in-class prodrug, has the potential to treat pain caused by nerve damage associated with diabetes, viral infections, injuries and cancer.
VistaGen commented that the drug has the ability to reduce and control seizures and chronic neuropathic pain in a similar way to Pfizer's Neurontin, the blockbuster epilepsy and neuropathic pain treatment. Because of the lack of side effects, VistaGen said that it expects AV-101 to have a higher therapeutic index.
The studies were supported by the National Institute of Drug Abuse, a division of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). VistaGen expects to submit an investigational new drug application to the FDA in 2007 and begin clinical development of AV-101 for epilepsy and neuropathic pain in 2008.