An approach to targeting Nav1.7 for pain sensations

Pain is a serious medical condition with current treatments remaining limited by side effects. The Nav1.7 voltage-gated sodium channel is a crucial determinant of nociceptor excitability and a promising target for nonaddictive analgesics. However, development of blockers has been difficult. In this issue of the JCI, Singh, Bernabucci, and authors identify a strategy for reducing Nav1.7 currents. These findings identify fibroblast growth factor 13 (FGF13), a homologous factor distinct from typical growth factors (also known as FHF2B), which ramps up Nav1.7, nociceptor excitability, and pain. Compound PW164 was identified as a selective FGF13-Nav1.7 attenuator with analgesic activity. These findings highlight the power of targeting intrinsic modulators of Nav1.7 for pain management.