Johnson and Johnson report on pain discovery

Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development has announced the discovery of a biological foundation that could explain the means by which people sense cold.

It is hoped that this discovery could assist in the development of therapies for patients suffering from neuropathic pain and complex regional pain syndromes with hypersensitivity to cold temperatures.

Experiments with mice lacking “cold menthol receptor 1” – TRPM8 – showed that this channel receptor could play a vital role in cold-induced pain.

Christopher Flores, analgesics biology team leader at the company, commented that the discovery made by scientists at Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development could explain mechanisms that are the foundation of pain states and lead to the development of novel therapies for patients.

“Although preliminary, these findings provide compelling initial evidence toward validating TRPM8 as an analgesic drug target and addressing major unmet medical needs of pain patients,” he said.

The company notes that there are different types of pain requiring differing treatments for patients, with Johnson & Johnson dedicated to the discovery and development of novel and innovative treatments in its laboratories.

Last month, Johnson & Johnson reported strong figures for the first quarter of the 2007 fiscal year, with the company attributing its performance to solid sales in its pharmaceuticals business.