Adlea (capsaicin)

Adlea (ALGRX 4975) is a highly purified, synthetic form of trans-capsaicin designed for site-specific, long-acting pain management. It acts as a potent agonist of the Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) receptor, a cation channel primarily expressed on the membranes of nociceptive sensory neurons. Upon administration via local infiltration or intra-articular injection, Adlea causes an initial activation of these neurons, followed by a prolonged period of nociceptor desensitization or defunctionalization. This process results in a significant reduction in pain transmission from the treated area for several weeks or months without the systemic side effects or motor/sensory impairment associated with opioids or local anesthetics. Originally developed by Anesiva (formerly Corgentech) and later acquired by Endo Pharmaceuticals, Adlea was investigated for the treatment of post-surgical pain (following procedures such as bunionectomy and total knee arthroplasty) and chronic pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee. Development was eventually discontinued following inconsistent results in Phase 3 clinical studies.

Brand names

Adlea

Other names

trans-capsaicin8-methyl-N-vanillyl-trans-6-nonenamide