Pain affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide and is the primary reason people seek treatment. The World Health Organization recognizes the importance of pain as a worldwide problem.

• Pain alleviation is a poorly met medical need.
• Approximately 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain and less than 30 percent of those in need obtain adequate relief with current therapies.
• Current pain medications have adverse effects on the gastrointestinal, neurological, and respiratory systems.

Acute Versus Chronic Pain

Acute pain is a short-lasting condition that is accompanied by tissue injury (eg, surgical incision).

Chronic pain is persistent pain that interferes with the quality of life as in arthritic and neuropathic pain.

• Arthritic conditions, such as gout and rheumatoid arthritis, cause joint inflammation that produces chronic pain.
• Neuropathic pain results from nerve injury due to metabolic diseases, trauma, drug therapy, or infection.

Pain Processes are Dynamic

Pain sensation requires multiple relays of information from the site of injury to the spinal cord and brain. Each pain pathway involves a convergence of signals that are controlled by proteins including:

• Cytokines
• Growth factors
• Receptors
• Kinases

Cross-disciplinary scientists at Regeneron are using high-throughput VelociGene technology to identify and target proteins that play a role in pain. Using VelocImmune® and Traps technologies, Regeneron is developing preclinical product candidates for the treatment of pain.