Tech Spotlight: IL-10 for Suppression of Neuropathic Pain and Enhancement of Morphine Analgesia

Dr. Linda Watkins’ lab at the University of Colorado at Boulder studies how to treat chronic pain. While all currently available therapies target neurons, Dr. Watkins’ work has shown that a major player in the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain is a non-neuronal cell called glia. Glia outnumber neurons 10 to 1 and when activated can compromise the ability of analgesics to suppress pain by producing proinflammatory cytokines causing an enhanced and prolonged pain experience. The anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) has the ability to suppress the production and function of many proinflammatory cytokines released by activated glia. Therefore, IL-10 has emerged as a novel drug candidate to treat neuropathic pain.

Dr. Watkins’ research has shown that intrathecal administration of IL-10 protein provides relief from chronic pain in animal models. This analgesic effect is achieved through introduction of plasmid DNA (pDNA) encoding IL-10. Moreover, prolonged analgesia is achieved through encapsulating this plasmid DNA in a poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) degradable micro-particle which slowly releases the plasmid in the CSF and induces macrophages to take-up (phagocytose) the plasmid, leading to higher IL-10 gene-expression levels. Ongoing studies additionally demonstrate utility in a number of other neurological disorders.

Patent rights related to this technology have been optioned to Xalud Therapeutics, a start-up company actively seeking funding. To read a non-confidential summary of this technology, please click the image above. For more CU technologies available for licensing, please visit our Tech Explorer site.