Company Overview

Company Description

We are a clinical-stage biotech company focused on developing and commercializing new therapeutics to alleviate pain. Our clinical focus is to selectively target the sodium ion-channel known as “NaV1.7”, as well as other receptors in the NaV family. NaV1.7 has been genetically validated as a pain receptor in human physiology. Genetic studies have shown that families with a certain inherited NaV1.7 modulation consistently show a pathology of not feeling pain. A NaV1.7 blocker is a chemical entity that modulates the structure of the sodium-channel in a way to prevent the transmission of pain perception to the central nervous system (“CNS”). Our goal is to develop a novel and proprietary class of NaV blockers that target the body’s peripheral nervous system, initially for Erythromelalgia (“EM”), a rare condition that primarily affects the feet and, less commonly, the hands (extremities). It is characterized by intense, burning pain of affected extremities, severe redness (erythema), and increased skin temperature that may be episodic or almost continuous in nature.

According to Mordor Intelligence, the global pain management market was valued at approximately $67 billion in 2021, and it is expected to have revenues of $89 billion in 2027, with a compound annual growth rate (“CAGR”) of 4.65% over the forecast period. Also, according to Mordor Intelligence, the United States has the largest market for pain management pharmaceuticals and Asia-Pacific is the region showing the strongest growth. North America holds the largest share in the pain management market, with the United States being the most significant contributor to its revenue. According to data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”), in 2019, 20.4% of adults had chronic pain, and 7.4% of adults had chronic pain that had limited work and daily activities frequently. Additionally, according to the CDC, chronic pain increased with age, and the highest level was reported in patients aged 65 years and above. The prescription pain management market in the United States is still largely dominated by opioid analgesics. Opioid analgesics decrease the perception of pain by stimulating a range of opioid receptors that modulate pain signals. The most widely used opioid analgesics, including morphine, fentanyl and hydromorphone, act primarily through the activation of mu opioid receptors in the CNS. However, because of the wide distribution of mu opioid receptors throughout the brain, morphine and other mu opioid analgesics also trigger a characteristic pattern of adverse side effects, in particular severe abuse and addiction.

The global pain market reflects total revenues of drugs mitigating different types of pain, such as backpain, osteoarthritis, post-operative pain and various orphan diseases with pain symptoms. Our current research is focused on EM; correspondingly, our commercial efforts are targeting the potential for EM therapeutics within the overall pain market. According to studies quoted by The Erythromelalgia Association, estimates of the incidence rate for EM vary from 1.3 to 15 per 100,000 persons, reflecting a potential EM patient population up to 5,000 to 50,000 in the U.S. Our lead compound, CC8464, could possibly have applications in pain mitigation outside of EM, but neither biological nor clinical studies have provided sufficient data to enable meaningful predictions on the probability of an expanded range of indications.

CC8464 is designed to address both the underlying condition and mitigate the burning pain symptoms that EM patients experience by blocking the NaV1.7 sodium channel. Genetic studies presented in the Journal of Clinical Investigation have established a correlation between particular mutation in the NaV1.7 gene and the occurrence of EM. Based on the correlation between the mutations and frequency of EM occurrence, we believe CC8464 has the potential to address the underlying condition and mitigate the burning pain symptoms that patients experience. The chemical characteristics of CC8464 restrict its entry into the CNS and limit its effect to the NaV1.7 receptors in the peripheral nervous system, which consists of the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. Activation of other receptors in the CNS can result in side effects, including addiction and other psychiatric disorders. Since CC8464 is designed to modulate pain signals without activation of receptors in the CNS, it is not expected to produce psychiatric side effects. Based on its characteristics, preclinical studies and the Phase 1 study we have completed to date, we believe that our lead compound CC8464, if approved, could become an attractive option for both patients and physicians as a treatment for moderate-to-severe pain in EM.

We have observed some rashes during the trial for which we developed a mitigation strategy. We plan to proceed with our clinical trials in 2023, focusing on a study to evaluate this rash mitigation strategy and a Phase 2a proof-of-concept study assessing the potential efficacy of CC8464 in EM patients with a genetic disposition. If approved, we believe that CC8464 could provide pain relief for EM patients while reducing the incidence of opioid-related adverse events and avoiding abuse and addiction issues associated with currently approved opioid analgesics. CC8464 is currently the only compound that we have advanced into clinical development. We may expand our pipeline with other, internal or external compounds in the future, but all other internally discovered compounds are pre-clinical and no commercial discussions about in-licensing have been initiated to date.

Chromocell Holdings, our predecessor, was founded in 2002 to commercialize “Chromovert Technology,” a proprietary discovery technology with a potential broad range of applications in the biomedical field, including the potential capability to create complex targets (cell-lines) needed for effective high-throughput screening that is commonly used both in therapeutics and flavors discovery. Initially, Chromocell Holdings focused on applications in the food and flavors space.

In approximately 2012, Chromocell Holdings started applying the technology in the therapeutics area. Chromocell Holdings focused its efforts on projects where it believed that the discovery of novel medications were largely held back by difficulties creating complex targets (cell lines) needed for effective high-throughput screening. The NaV1.7 ion-channel is a complex target with a well-established role in pain modulation and management believed it presented an opportunity to apply the technology in an area of unmet medical need. Upon creating the necessary NaV1.7 assays and conducting a large high-throughput campaign, Chromocell Holdings’ research team discovered CC8464. After pre-clinical studies and assessments, an IND was filed and CC8464 was evaluated in a Phase 1 study with more than 100 subjects. In 2015, Chromocell Holdings signed an agreement with Astellas Pharma Inc. (“Astellas”) for the joint development and commercialization of CC8464. Astellas terminated such agreement in 2018 and returned all rights, including all intellectual property rights on CC8464, to Chromocell Holding.

As both the flavors and the therapeutics businesses grew and increasingly required different expertise, capital and business concepts, Chromocell Holdings made the strategic decision to separate the two businesses.

Chromocell Therapeutics Corporation was incorporated in Delaware on March 19, 2021. Our principal executive offices are located at 4400 Route 9 South, Suite 1000, Freehold, NJ 07728, and our telephone number is (732) 514-2636. Our website is www.chromocell.com.