'The spirit of the collaboration has been good' — Dr Heikki Mansikka, Orion Pharma

What kind of compound did you collaborate with CHDR on?

‘I'm leading the clinical development of a selective NaV 1.8 blocker, a blocker of the neuronal voltage-gated sodium channel 1.8. The mechanism of action has been well validated, both in genetic research by various academic groups and in pharmacological studies by a company called Vertex Pharmaceuticals, based in Boston. The hypothesis is that blocking this sodium channel subtype, which is predominantly expressed in peripheral pain fibres, would provide efficacy without the dose-limiting side effects of the central nervous system and the addictive qualities of opioids. Our goal is to develop a well-tolerated medication for acute and chronic pain that can be an alternative to opioids, given their devastating societal impact, especially in the United States.’

How did it go and where are you now in developing this compound?

‘We started phase 1 trials at CHDR in autumn 2022 and are now coming to the end of this phase. And we are now about to transition into phase 2 patient trials, starting in 2024. The results of the trials at CHDR were promising, both in terms of safety and tolerability and in terms of potential efficacy. We were glad to see that there was a significant effect in one of the pain models in CHDR's PainCart, the cold pressor test. Of course, it is no guarantee that the medication will be effective in clinical pain, but it is really nice to have this supportive data before going into phase 2.’

How did you get in touch with CHDR?

‘I have been aware of CHDR for quite some time. I've worked in the pain field for many years, and I heard Prof. Geert Jan Groeneveld give a lecture at a conference on CHDR's approach to pain research. I have read publications from CHDR exploring selective NaV 1.8 blockers and the pharmacodynamic effects that may be measured in healthy volunteers.’

What was your experience working with CHDR at Orion Pharma?

‘Overall, the collaboration has worked very nicely. The team that we worked with is really interested in the science, providing good feedback on our protocols. CHDR has been very flexible, accommodating all kinds of changes and additions that came up as new data emerged. We have modified the protocol and amended it quite a few times. CHDR played an active role, more like collaborators than simply a service provider. Everything ran really smoothly. The timelines were adhered to, which is of course also important. In general, working with CHDR is different from working with most contract research organisations because of their scientific involvement. So yes, it was a pretty good experience.’