Advances in Chronic Pain Management through Voltage-gated Sodium Channel Modulation: A Systematic Review

Thursday, November 13, 2025

5:25 PM - 5:33 PM CT

Location: Griffin Hall - Screen 03

Introduction:

Chronic pain affects 20% of the U.S. population, ruining quality of life and costing over $300 billion in lost productivity annually. Existing treatments are plagued by addiction liability, tolerance, and poor efficacy against neuropathic pain. Voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs), especially NaV-1.7, 1.8, and 1.9 located on nociceptors, have promise as specific targets for long-lasting analgesia. Secondly, improvements in gene therapies like antisense oligonucleotides, CRISPR, and optogenetics hold potential for providing pain relief lasting for years.

Submitting Author(s)

RS

Roy Sebastian, MD, DPT, MBA

Fellow
University of Maryland Medical Center
Windsor Mill, Maryland, United States

Presenting Author(s)

RS

Roy Sebastian, MD, DPT, MBA

Fellow
University of Maryland Medical Center
Windsor Mill, Maryland, United States

Co-Author(s)

JS

Jonathan Saju, BSc

MS2
Campbell University - School of Osteopathic Medicine (CUSOM), United States
SL

Seung Lee, MD, MBA

Asst. Professor
University of Maryland Medical Center, United States
KG

Kanchana Gattu, MD

Asst. professor
University of Maryland Medical Center, United States
TW

Thelma Wright, MD, JD, MBA, FASA

Directior- Pain Medicine Fellowship
University of Maryland Medical Center, United States