In a very cool development, Prialt, a non-opiate, non-addictive painkiller aimed at those suffering from chronic pain, including cancer patients, which is 1,000 times more potent than morphine and based on the venom of a deadly sea snail, has just been launched in Britain. The venom of the Magician’s Cone Snail (Conus magus) is usually shot at nearby fish, paralysing them so that they can be eaten whole. The snail is found in coral reefs in the Pacific Ocean.
Prialt, the synthetic equivalent of the venom, is manufactured by Eisai Co Ltd of Japan and is the result of more than 20 years work by the team of Professor Baldomera Olivera and research psychiatrist Michael McIntosh, both of the University of Utah. The Times has the science behind it:
Together they analysed the venom and identified one peptide (a short chain of amino acids) that stopped nerve cells sending signals to the brain. It acts by blocking the calcium channels on the nerves that transmit pain signals. Once the channels are blocked, calcium cannot enter the cells, and pain signals are blocked from travelling between nerve cells.
It is injected into fluid around the spine using a pump worn by the patient and will cost about $500 for a 100 microgram vial, with the average final dose used in test studies being about 7.2 micrograms per patient per day. There are some possible side effects, such as dizziness, blurred vision and nausea.
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