# Supplement to Promote Diversity and Inclusion, Female Scientist

> **NIH NIH R43** · NAVEGA THERAPEUTICS, INC. · 2020 · $95,050

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Currently more than 100 million Americans and 1.5 billion people worldwide suffer from chronic
pain. This is more than cancer, diabetes, and heart disease combined. Voltage-gated sodium
channels are responsible for the transmission of pain signals. Nine genes have been identified,
each having unique properties and tissue distribution patterns. Genetic studies have correlated
a hereditary loss-of-function mutation in one human Na+ channel isoform – ?Na?V?1.7 – with a rare
genetic disorder known as Congenital Insensitivity to Pain (CIP). Individuals with CIP are not
able to feel pain without any significant secondary alteration. Thus, selective inhibition of ?Na?V?1.7
in normal humans could recapitulate the phenotype of CIP. However, the high homology of
human ?Na?V proteins have frustrated most efforts to develop selective inhibitors. We have
developed a non-permanent gene therapy to target pain that is non-addictive (because it targets
a non-opioid pathway), highly specific (only targeting the gene of interest), and long-term lasting
(around 3 weeks in preliminary assays in mice). During this Phase I SBIR, we will 1) test
additional pain targets ?in vitro?, and 2) evaluate the new targets ?in vivo ?in mice models of
inflammatory and neuropathic pain. In addition, we will initiate our toxicology studies in mice. At
the end of this Phase I work, we will know the spectrum of activity and safety of our optimized
candidate to perform IND-enabling toxicology studies in Phase II.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10057248
- **Project number:** 3R43NS112088-01A1S1
- **Recipient organization:** NAVEGA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Fernando Aleman Guillen
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $95,050
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2019-11-30 → 2020-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10057248

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10057248, Supplement to Promote Diversity and Inclusion, Female Scientist (3R43NS112088-01A1S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10057248. Licensed CC0.

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