Regeneus (ASX:RGS) has revealed study results that highlight its Sygenus technology as showing a more potent and longer lasting effect on pain than morphine.
Sygenus is a cell secretions technology platform targeting the reduction of pain and inflammation and encourage accelerated healing and repair.
The preclinical post-operative pain study has shown that topical application of Sygenus has significantly greater and longer lasting analgesic effect than an injection of morphine.
These promising results show that Sygenus is having a sustained analgesic effect above and beyond the previous anti-inflammatory effect that others have observed in Sygenus.
This expands upon the initial focus for Sygenus, which were topical applications for the management of acne and other inflammatory skin conditions.
Comparison to morphine
The study was performed in Israel and Sygenus was applied topically to a wound area and tested head-to-head with a standardised dose of morphine (blue in the chart), the opioid analgesic.
The analgesic properties of the treatments were assessed using a reflex response time to a thermal stimulus, the results are shown in the chart.
Importantly, Sygenus showed a dose dependent analgesia with the beneficial effect of the high dose lasting for up to 3 hours.
In comparison, morphine only had short-lived benefits and had lost its effect within 3 hours.
Next steps
These results will inform the current collaborative ARC Linkage program between Regeneus, Macquarie University and the University of Adelaide that is investigating the use of stem cell technology for the treatment of pain.
The investigations are being led by Professor Mark Hutchinson of the University of Adelaide and Professor Ewa Goldys of Macquarie University.
The new data will be integrated into current research programs with the potential to explore this further in clinical trials on pain in humans.
Professor Hutchinson is an expert in pain and the role of the immune system in pain.
Hutchinson commented: “These are very impressive results, the mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) secretions are having a powerful and rapid analgesic effect that rival and outlast the gold standard opioid analgesic.
“We are keen to translate this work into our current research programs with the potential to explore this further in clinical trials on pain in humans.”