Potential First-In-Class Migraine Medication
Stop migraines before they develop
All of the current migraine medications target mechanisms that are likely to be far downstream of the initiation of the pain phase of migraine. Our small molecule antagonists can effectively stop the immune/inflammatory response caused by PAR-2 before headaches fully develop, thus preventing further progression into a migraine attack.
A New Approach to Chronic Pain Treatment
Chronic pain impacts one in every five adults and is linked to several other health conditions such as restricted mobility, opioid dependence, and depression. Chronic pain is primarily due to a heightened sensitivity to a stimulus that wouldn’t usually cause pain — a condition known as hyperalgesia. Our novel small molecule approach addresses both the cause and symptoms of migraines. Primary treatments for chronic pain include over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids. Both manage acute pain but are less effective in addressing the long-term effects of chronic pain. Also, opioids come with numerous intolerable side effects and a quick rate of tolerance, which leads to a need for higher dosage and risk of dependence. Chronic Pain
A promising alternative to pain medication
PARMedics small molecule treatment is a promising alternative to current chronic pain medication. PAR-2 receptors can amplify pain signals by increasing excitatory neurotransmitters’ release and promoting inflammatory mediators’ release. Our small molecule treatment inhibits and prevents the sensitization of pain receptors that underlie chronic pain. By blocking PAR-2 receptors, we can treat both the cause and the symptoms of chronic pain.
Meeting an Unmet Need for Alternative Asthma Treatment
A better treatment for asthma
PAR-2 also promotes the release of molecules that dilate the bronchioles, counteracting some of its inflammatory responses. At the molecular level, these two responses are the result of distinct signaling pathways, a pro-inflammatory beta-arrestin pathway and a protective G-protein one. Our approach is to develop PAR-2 antagonists that specifically target the inflammatory beta-arrestin pathway to effectively to effectively treat moderate to severe asthma in patients who are unresponsive to current standard-of-care.