Scientists modify Botox for the treatment of pain

A team of 22 scientists from 11 research institutes led by Bazbek Davletov, a professor now at the University of Sheffield, created and characterized a new molecule that was able to alleviate hypersensitivity to inflammatory pain.

Prof Davletov joined the Department of Biomedical Science in September last year from the Medical Research Council’s Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, where his team developed a new way of joining and rebuilding molecules.

By using elements of Clostridium botulinum and Clostridium tetani neurotoxins, commonly known as Botox and tetanus toxin respectively, the scientists were able to develop a molecule with new biomedical properties, without unwanted toxic effects. The work is featured on the cover of the October 2013 issue of the scientific journal Bioconjugate Chemistry.