EP-0226

EP-0226 is a selective small molecule inhibitor of the voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.8 (SCN10A), currently under development for the treatment of neuropathic pain. It was co-developed through a collaboration between Chengdu Easton Biopharmaceuticals, the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), and the Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery. Nav1.8 is a sodium channel subunit primarily expressed in peripheral sensory neurons (nociceptors) and plays a critical role in the generation and conduction of pain signals. By selectively blocking this channel, EP-0226 aims to provide potent analgesia for chronic and neuropathic pain conditions while avoiding the central nervous system and cardiovascular side effects typically associated with non-selective sodium channel blockers or opioid therapies. The drug is currently undergoing Phase 1 clinical evaluation.