Harmonizing neuropathic pain research: outcomes of the London consensus meeting on peripheral tissue studies

Sara Villa¹, Eske K Aasvang², Nadine Attal³, Ralf Baron⁴, Emmanuel Bourinet^{5

6

7

8}, Margarita Calvo⁹, Nanna B Finnerup¹⁰, Eleonora Galosi¹¹, James R F Hockley¹², Pall Karlsson¹⁰, Harriet Kemp¹³, Jannis Körner^{14

15

16}, Ekaterina Kutafina¹⁷, Angelika Lampert^{14

18}, Margarita Mürk¹⁹, Zahra Nochi¹⁰, Theodore J Price²⁰, Andrew S C Rice¹³, Claudia Sommer²¹, Pille Taba²², Andreas C Themistocleous²³, Rolf-Detlef Treede²⁴, Andrea Truini¹¹, Nurcan Üçeyler²¹, David L Bennett²³, Annina B Schmid²³, Franziska Denk¹

Affiliations

¹ Wolfson Sensory, Pain and Regeneration Centre (SPaRC), King's College London, United Kingdom.
² Anesthesiological Department, Center for Cancer and Organ Dysfunction, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark.
³ INSERM U987, APHP, UVSQ Paris SACLAY University, Hôpital Ambroise Paré, Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
⁴ Division of Neurological Pain Research and Therapy, Department of Neurology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel, Kiel, Germany.
⁵ Laboratories of Excellence, Ion Channel Science and Therapeutics, Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Montpellier, France.
⁶ CNRS UMR5203, Montpellier, France.
⁷ INSERM, U661, Montpellier, France.
⁸ Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
⁹ Biological Sciences Faculty and Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago, CL, United States.
¹⁰ Department of Clinical Medicine, Danish Pain Research Center, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
¹¹ Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
¹² GSK, Stevenage, United Kingdom.
¹³ Pain Research Group, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
¹⁴ Institute of Neurophysiology, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
¹⁵ Department of Anesthesiology, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University.
¹⁶ Intensive and Intermediate Care, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
¹⁷ Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
¹⁸ Scientific Center for Neuropathic Pain Research Aachen, SCN , Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
¹⁹ Pathology Department, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia.
²⁰ Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States.
²¹ Department of Neurology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
²² Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
²³ Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
²⁴ Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute for Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.

PMID: 39432804
PMCID: PMC12004985
DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003445

Harmonizing neuropathic pain research: outcomes of the London consensus meeting on peripheral tissue studies

Sara Villa et al. Pain. 2025.

. 2025 May 1;166(5):994-1001.

doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003445. Epub 2024 Oct 16.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Wolfson Sensory, Pain and Regeneration Centre (SPaRC), King's College London, United Kingdom.
² Anesthesiological Department, Center for Cancer and Organ Dysfunction, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark.
³ INSERM U987, APHP, UVSQ Paris SACLAY University, Hôpital Ambroise Paré, Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
⁴ Division of Neurological Pain Research and Therapy, Department of Neurology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel, Kiel, Germany.
⁵ Laboratories of Excellence, Ion Channel Science and Therapeutics, Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Montpellier, France.
⁶ CNRS UMR5203, Montpellier, France.
⁷ INSERM, U661, Montpellier, France.
⁸ Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
⁹ Biological Sciences Faculty and Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago, CL, United States.
¹⁰ Department of Clinical Medicine, Danish Pain Research Center, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
¹¹ Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
¹² GSK, Stevenage, United Kingdom.
¹³ Pain Research Group, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
¹⁴ Institute of Neurophysiology, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
¹⁵ Department of Anesthesiology, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University.
¹⁶ Intensive and Intermediate Care, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
¹⁷ Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
¹⁸ Scientific Center for Neuropathic Pain Research Aachen, SCN , Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
¹⁹ Pathology Department, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia.
²⁰ Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States.
²¹ Department of Neurology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
²² Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
²³ Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
²⁴ Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute for Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.

PMID: 39432804
PMCID: PMC12004985
DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003445

Abstract

Neuropathic pain remains difficult to treat, with drug development hampered by an incomplete understanding of the pathogenesis of the condition, as well as a lack of biomarkers. The problem is compounded by the scarcity of relevant human peripheral tissues, including skin, nerves, and dorsal root ganglia. Efforts to obtain such samples are accelerating, increasing the need for standardisation across laboratories. In this white paper, we report on a consensus meeting attended by neuropathic pain experts, designed to accelerate protocol alignment and harmonization of studies involving relevant peripheral tissues. The meeting was held in London in March 2024 and attended by 28 networking partners, including industry and patient representatives. We achieved consensus on minimal recommended phenotyping, harmonised wet laboratory protocols, statistical design, reporting, and data sharing. Here, we also share a variety of relevant standard operating procedures as supplementary protocols. We envision that our recommendations will help unify human tissue research in the field and accelerate our understanding of how abnormal interactions between sensory neurons and their local peripheral environment contribute towards neuropathic pain.

Keywords: Dorsal root ganglia; Inflammation; Neuro-immune; Neuropathic pain; Peripheral nerve; Protocol harmonization.

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Conflict of interest statement

R.B. has received Grants/Research support from EU Projects: „Europain” (115007). DOLORisk (633491). IMI Paincare (777500). German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF): Verbundprojekt: Frühdetektion von Schmerzchronifizierung (NoChro) (13 GW0338C). German Research Network on Neuropathic Pain (01EM0903). Pfizer Pharma GmbH, Grünenthal GmbH, Mundipharma Research GmbH und Co. KG., Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Zambon GmbH, Sanofi Aventis GmbH. R.B. has received speaker fees from Pfizer Pharma GmbH, Sanofi Aventis GmbH, Grünenthal GmbH, Mundipharma, Lilly GmbH, Desitin Arzneimittel GmbH, Teva GmbH, Bayer AG, MSD GmbH, Seqirus Australia Pty. Ltd, Novartis Pharma GmbH, TAD Pharma GmbH, Grünenthal SA Portugal, Grünen¬thal Pharma AG Schweiz, Grünenthal B.V. Niederlande, Evapharma, Takeda Pharmaceuticals International AG Schweiz, Ology Medical Education Netherlands, Ever Pharma GmbH, Amicus Therapeutics GmbH, Novo Nordisk Pharma GmbH, Chiesi GmbH, Stada Mena DWC LLC Dubai, Hexal AG, Viatris, AstraZeneca GmbH, Sandoz. R.B. has received consultation fees from Pfizer Pharma GmbH, Sanofi Aventis GmbH, Grünenthal GmbH, Lilly, Novartis Pharma GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Biogenidec, AstraZeneca GmbH, Daiichi Sankyo, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals S.A., Seqirus Australia Pty. Ltd, Teva Pharmaceuticals Europe Niederlande, Teva GmbH, Genentech, Mundipharma International Ltd. UK, Galapagos NV, Kyowa Kirin GmbH, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Biotest AG, Celgene GmbH, Desitin Arzneimittel GmbH, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. USA, Theranexus DSV CEA Frankreich, Abbott Products Operations AG Schweiz, Bayer AG, Grünenthal Pharma AG Schweiz, Akcea Therapeutics Germany GmbH, Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation, AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Air Liquide Sante International Frankreich, Alnylam Germany GmbH, Lateral Pharma Pty Ltd, Hexal AG, Angelini, Janssen, SIMR Biotech Pty Ltd Australien, Confo Therapeutics N. V. Belgium, Merz Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Neumentum, Inc, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. Switzerland, AlgoTherapeutix SAS France, Nanobiotix SA France, AmacaThera, Inc. Canada, Heat2Move, Resano GmbH, Esteve Pharmaceuticals SA, Aristo. N.A. has received honoraria from Grunenthal, Medtronic, Merz, Novartis outside the submitted work. N.B.F. has received consultancy fees from PharmNovo, Vertex, NeuroPN, Saniona, Nanobiotix, and Neurvati and has undertaken consultancy work for Aarhus University with remunerated work for Biogen, Merz, and Confo Therapeutics. She has received grants from IMI2PainCare an EU IMI 2 (Innovative medicines initiative) public–private consortium and the companies involved are: Grunenthal, Bayer, Eli Lilly, Esteve, and Teva, outside the submitted work. J.R.F.H. is an employee of and owns shares in GSK. P.K. has received honoria from Grunenthal and Vertex Pharmaceuticals and received industry grants from Merck and Lundbeck A/S, outside the submitted work. T.J.P. is a co-founder and holds equity in 4E Therapeutics, PARMedics, Doloromics, Nerveli and NuvoNuro and has received research grants from Grunenthal, Eli Lilly, Merck, Hoba Therapeutics, Bellus Health and Abbvie. C.S. has received honoraria for consulting Algiax, Bayer, Merz, and Omega on the subject of neuropathic pain. RDT reports personal fees from Sanofi, GSK, Grünenthal, CERED, Merz, Bayer, Saluda Medica, Vertex, grants from DFG, EU, TEVA, Esteve as part of EU grant IMI-painCare. E.K.A. is consulting for Genedit and Concentric analgesics and has lectured for Grunenthal. A.L. receives counseling fees from Grünenthal and had a research contract with Grünenthal. D.L.B. has acted as a consultant in the last 2 years for 5 am ventures, AditumBio, Astra Zeneca, Biogen, Biointervene, Combigene, LatigoBio, GSK, Lexicon therapeutics, Neuvati, Novo Ventures, Olipass, Orion, Replay, SC Health Managers, Third Rock ventures, Vida Ventures, Vertex on behalf of Oxford University Innovation. He has received research funding from Lilly and Astra Zeneca. F.D. has consulted for GSK and Cellectricon and received money from Ono Pharmaceuticals. The remaining authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

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Harmonizing neuropathic pain research: outcomes of the London consensus meeting on peripheral tissue studies

Affiliations

Harmonizing neuropathic pain research: outcomes of the London consensus meeting on peripheral tissue studies

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

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Medical