Trigeminal Neuralgia Explained

At OCT, we are committed to harnessing the therapeutic power of cannabinoids to develop breakthrough therapies for a range of debilitating conditions.

Recently, we successfully completed our first Phase I clinical trial, a single ascending dose study of our lead compound OCT461201. But, at OCT, we also take pride and anticipate enormous value in our diversified pipeline of drug candidates. That is why programme 2, OCT130401, a programme to which we attach great importance, targets a different indication: namely, Trigeminal Neuralgia (“TN”).

TN is a neurological disorder that affects the trigeminal nerve, a cranial nerve responsible for sensation in the face and vital for everyday motor functions such as biting and chewing. NHS England describe TN as being a sudden, severe facial pain which is often described as a sharp shooting pain or like having an electric shock in the jaw, teeth or gums. It can be set off by the smallest of triggers such as speaking, eating, a light touch or even, in some cases, a breeze to one’s face.

In October, we highlighted International Trigeminal Neuralgia Awareness Day 2023, an important campaign through which the UK Trigeminal Awareness Association promotes growing awareness of this debilitating condition. Though thankfully relatively rare in younger people, nonetheless about 150,000 people each year are diagnosed with TN. Moreover, the condition is believed to affect women more than men, with the onset typically manifesting itself between the ages of 50 and 60.

TN can have a debilitating and demoralising impact on people’s everyday lives, with the most mundane of activities leading to excruciating levels of pain. Some have described TN as the “worst pain known to man” and its sudden onset, lasting from a few seconds to several minutes, means that preparing for and mitigating the symptoms is exceptionally challenging.

At the moment, many cases of TN are initially treated with a small dose of an antiepileptic drug (such as carbamazepine) which can provide significant pain relief. However, up to 10 per cent of patients will not respond to antiepileptic drugs. We believe that no one deserves to live their life under the constant fear of the onset of severe pain and therefore, with limited treatment options currently available for those living with TN, we at OCT, are busy researching a solution to alleviate their pain.

Our OCT130401, programme 2, is being developed and will be trialled as a treatment for TN: it has already completed its pre-clinical development. We hope that, through our plan to deliver OCT130401 treatments via an inhaler, we will be able to bring about a faster onset of pain relief when compared to other systemic routes such as tablets.

As TN is classified as a rare disease, we expect OCT130401 will be designated orphan status. With pre-clinical work complete, the programme now stands ready to enter Phase I clinical trials and we will continue to keep investors updated on its progress.

Sources:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/trigeminal-neuralgia/

https://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g474.abstract

https://www.tna.org.uk/news/trigeminal-neuralgia/

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15671-trigeminal-neuralgia-tn