One of the receptors discovered by the Nobel Laureates in Medicine is the TRPV1 receptor, which is used by PILA as the leading principle for a novel treatment of diabetes.

The 2021 Nobel prize in Physiology or Medicine honors discoveries of receptors for temperature and touch. One of these receptors, the TRPV1 receptor, is thanks to David Julius research known to react to pain and painful heat and cause the heat sensation.

“With the Nobel Prize committees honorable validation of TRPV1 as an important molecular target we look even more forward to further progress our TRPV1 antagonist to phase 2b tests in diabetes.”

“It’s fantastic news to learn that, yesterday, the Nobel prize went to to ‘our’ TRPV1 receptor. I’m a true fan of Dr. Julius, and I used his TRPV1 knock-out mice to first demonstrate TRPV1’s specific role in diabetes via regulation of insulin secretion and glucose tolerance! Results that we recently replicated in subjects with type 2 diabetes! With the Nobel Prize committees honorable validation of TRPV1 as an important molecular target we look even more forward to further progress our TRPV1 antagonist to phase 2b tests in diabetes,” says founder and CEO, Dorte X. Gram.

Read more: Interview Dorte X. Gram: “The scientist in me wants to make a difference”

The TRPV1 receptor

PILA Pharma is using the TRPV1 receptor as the leading principle for a novel treatment of diabetes. This is done by developing a TRPV1 antagonist, (XEN-D0501), and in that way get the body to regulate insulin secretion and get a better glucose tolerance, the company describes.

Dr. Julius used capsaicin, the hot ingredient in chili, to identify the responsive DNA fragment or gene in sensory nerves. This gene was later cloned and first named the capsaicin receptor and later VR1 and then TRPV1. Popularly, at PILA PHARMA they call it the ‘chili-receptor’, states the company.

Read more: The Nobel Prize in Medicine honors discoveries of receptors for temperature and touch

By means of creating a TRPV1 knock out mouse (a normal mouse, but without the TRPV1), the research group of Dr. Julius showed that TRPV1 plays a significant role in the sensation of pain.

Photo of the Board of PILA Pharma Lene Andersen, Tyge Korsgaard, Dorte X. Gram and Fredrik Buch. Photographer: Jenny Leyman