Research on activating Glial Cells to be presented at 7th Annual Pain Therapeutics Summit East

Jul 11 2013

Linda Watkins, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Co-Chair, Advisory Board, Xalud Therapeutics, Inc. will present research on activating Glial Cells as part of the speaking faculty at the ^7th Annual Pain Therapeutics Summit East (wwwpaintherapeuticsummiteast.com) in Boston, MA.

In neuropathic pain, glial cells become activated, causing them to release substances that pathologically amplify pain. This new understanding has provided an explanation for the clinical experience that opioids often have pain-promoting side effects. Opioid administration causes glial activation, which paradoxically opposes the pain-modulating effect of opioids. Reversal of the pro-inflammatory activation of glia would thus not only reverse neuropathic pain in general but should also enhance the clinical efficacy of morphine and other opioids

Gene therapy treatments for neuropathic pain are a focus of Xalud Therapeutics. The company is developing XT-101, a single administration therapeutic designed to reverse glial activation. XT-101 is an intrathecal therapy that drives the production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) at the spinal cord. Watkins’ presentation will describe evidence demonstrating a critical role of glial activation in creating and maintaining pathological pain states, such as neuropathic pain and data to support the potential of XT-101 in reversing this state.