Table 1.

Newer analgesics entering clinical trials

Therapeutic agent	Mechanism of action	Comment
Local anesthetics Liposomal loaded local anesthetics HXT-011: bupivacaine plus meloxican Neosaxitoxin	Sodium channel blocker Sodium channel blocker + COX inhibition Sodium channel blocker	These newer local anesthetics formulations are clinically used or in clinical trials to test safety and efficacy.
Fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitors Pf-04457845	Inhibitor of the fatty acid amide hydrolase	Used in humans only in clinical studies for osteoarthritis pain, epilepsy and cannabis dependence.
Nitric oxide synthase inhibitors L-NG-methylarginine hydrochloride NXN-188	Inhibition of the production of nitric oxide Non-selective inhibitor Selective inhibitor	Only used in clinical trials.
MK8825, ubrogepant, olcegepant, telcagepant and rimegepant	CGRP receptor antagonist	Only used in clinical trials.
Tonabersat (SB-220453)	Gap junction modulator, anticonvulsant	Only used in clinical trials.
Tocilizumab	Interleukin 6 antagonist	Approved for rheumatoid arthritis, Castleman’s disease, giant cell arteritis, polyarticular and systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis and chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy-induced cytokine release syndrome.
Brivoligide	EGR1 - Transcription factor decoy	Only used in clinical trials.

Abbreviations: COX, cyclooxygenase; EGR1, early growth factor gene; GPCR, G protein-coupled receptor.