p75NTR-Fc: a novel and safe biological for the treatment of chronic pain

A UK biotechnology company is developing a biological therapy that blocks a specific pain-signalling protein, aiming to treat chronic pain without the side effects of existing drugs. This matters because the most common painkillers for conditions like osteoarthritis—non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)—can damage the stomach, interfere with blood clotting, and increase the risk of heart problems. Many people with chronic pain cannot take these drugs long-term, leaving a large gap in safe treatment options. The company, Levicept, has engineered a protein called p75NTR-Fc that intercepts a nerve growth factor involved in pain transmission, potentially offering pain relief without those toxicities. If this therapy succeeds in early clinical trials, it could change how chronic pain is managed. Instead of relying on drugs that harm the gut or heart, patients might receive a targeted biological injection that blocks pain at its source. This would directly affect the daily lives of millions of people with osteoarthritis or nerve pain, who currently cycle through inadequate or dangerous treatments. The research is not fundamental science—it is a focused drug development programme with a clear path toward human testing.