Target Workspace
NaV1.7 / SCN9A
Voltage-gated sodium channel·Moderate-HighImproving·Review recommended·TSTranslational Science· Updated 3 days ago
AI suggested pathAI-assisted
DPN appears to be the strongest feasibility path based on endpoint maturity and recruitment plausibility. IEM remains the cleanest mechanistic POC but recruitment is limited.
Segment comparison4 segments
| Segment | Size | Evidence | Biomarker | Endpoint | Recruitment | Recommendation | Open caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chronic peripheral neuropathic pain Heterogeneous segment with broad NaV1.7 mechanistic relevance. | Large | Moderate-High | Limited | Moderate | Strong | Conditional | Heterogeneity caveat — see detail. |
Painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) Defined population; established regulatory pathway. | Large | Moderate | Moderate | Strong | Strong | Yes | — |
Post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) Defined etiology; cleaner phenotype. | Mid | Moderate | Limited | Strong | Moderate | Yes | — |
Inherited erythromelalgia (IEM) Niche; SCN9A gain-of-function patients; biomarker-rich. | Niche | High | Strong | Moderate | Weak | Conditional | Mechanistic POC route; small N. |
Selected segment
Painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN)
Rationale
Defined patient population; precedent regulatory pathway for non-opioid analgesia in DPN; some biomarker activity.
Trial design assumptions
- Phase: Phase IIa
- Endpoint: NRS-based
- Geography: US / EU
- Indication focus: Painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy
Phase IIa feasibility heatmap
Phase IIa, painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy, 12-week, NRS-basedSite availability
StrongRecruitment plausibility
StrongEndpoint maturity
StrongRegulatory precedent
StrongBiomarker readiness
ModerateTime to readout
12-18 mo Data gaps
- • Patient size bands are sample values; epidemiology requires verification.
- • Endpoint readiness for chronic peripheral neuropathic pain remains a field-wide challenge.
- • Biomarker stratification limited outside IEM.
Suggested next validation step
Phase IIa NRS-based DPN study with pre-specified responder analysis.