Diana Viray, Edwin ten Winkel
BBP418 is chemically synthetised but identical to one of the main compounds of tetrodotoxin, the toxin of the pufferfish or blowfish (Tetraodontidae). BBP492 is a tetrodotoxin like compound that is not identical to any known natural occuring tetrodotoxin compound. Both BBP418 and BBP492 are sodium channel blockers, that selectively blocks off the voltage-sensitive sodium channels of excitable tissues and neuronal transmission in skeletal muscles.
In a Phase II trial in 50 cancer patients BBP492 scored significantly higher on improvement of pain on the VAS (visual analogue scale).
Further testing will be done in order to validate these results.
