TC-6499 is a novel small molecule that we are developing initially as a treatment for neuropathic pain.  TC-6499, which is a modulator of the α4ß2 NNR, is currently in Phase 1 clinical development.  In preclinical studies, TC-6499 demonstrated analgesic activity in multiple models of neuropathic pain.

Pain is one of the therapeutic focus areas of our alliance with GlaxoSmithKline, and TC-6499 is subject to the alliance.

About Neuropathic Pain

Unlike nociceptive pain, which generally results from tissue damage, neuropathic pain results from damage to the nerves that transmit pain sensation.  When this occurs, central nervous system mechanisms that inhibit pain transmission do not function properly and pain signals continue to be sent to the brain.

Neuropathic pain is characterized as severe, stabbing, burning or tingling and is most often associated with diabetes mellitus, chemotherapy, toxins, herpes, HIV infection or trauma.  Neuropathic pain affects more than 15 million people in the United States alone, and the currently available treatments are often inadequate to relieve the pain effectively.  Other options are needed to improve the outcomes for patients with neuropathic pain.