Cone snail venom could treat chronic pain

A novel compound from the venom of a cone shell marine snail found on the Great Barrier Reef may have a use as a drug to treat chronic pain, according to scientists from the University of Melbourne and the National Ageing Research Institute.

The compound, known as ACV1, has been patented by the researchers lead by Assoc Prof Bruce Livett, from the University's Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

"We have advanced the research to a stage where we now seek a commercial partner to take this novel compound to human trials and develop it as a treatment for chronic pain," said Livett.

He said that in addition to having a confidentiality deed with Brisbane biopharmaceutical company Xenome, they recently issued an invitation to investment and have been receiving a lot of interest in the drug.

According to Livett, ACV1 is a type of conotoxin that acts as a potent analgesic in rats.

Laboratory studies have indicated that ACV1 is longer lasting than morphine, is not addictive and does not have the side effects exhibited by morphine. It also may have wider applications than just treatment of pain.

"In tests on rats it has also been found to accelerate wound healing where nerve damage has occurred," explained Livett.

"There is a real need for a better analgesic than morphine," he said.

According to Livett, ACV1 works by blocking the transmission of pain along the peripheral nervous system, using a different mechanism to other known conotoxins.

Several conotoxins have already been tested in human clinical trials, however they have shown some side effects, which are unlikely to occur with ACV1, he explained.

"ACV1 is also a tiny molecule compared to the competing conotoxin drugs, making it easier and cheaper to synthesize. Competing drugs also need to be injected into the spinal column. ACV1 can be injected into the muscle or fat layer of patients making it available to a wider group of patients and an advantage when recruiting patients for clinical trials," Livett said.

In the meantime, Livett and his team will continue to examine the 80 or so cone shell species found on the Great Barrier Reef for potential drug candidates.