New European Research Project RESOLVE Aims to Develop Innovative Therapy for Chronic Neuropathic Pain
Chronic neuropathic pain affects an estimated 10 percent of the global population and remains one of the most challenging conditions in modern medicine. Often developing after chemotherapy, injury, surgery, or disease, neuropathic pain originates within the nervous system itself. Damaged nerves continue to generate pain signals even in the absence of harmful stimuli, causing pain to persist long after the initial trigger has disappeared. For many patients, currently available therapies provide only limited relief and primarily address symptoms rather than the underlying causes of disease. A newly launched European research project seeks to change this.
The project is called “RESOLVE – Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles as Novel Tools for Inflammatory Recalibration and Resolution of Chronic Pain”. Supported by the European ERA-NET NEURON initiative, the international consortium has been awarded approximately €1.2 million over two years. Researchers at the Medical Faculty of the University of Duisburg-Essen and University Hospital Essen will receive around €350,000 of the funding.
A New Approach to Treating Chronic Pain
Unlike conventional therapies that mainly aim to suppress pain perception, RESOLVE focuses on the biological mechanisms that drive and maintain chronic pain. Increasing evidence suggests that persistent inflammation within the nervous system plays a central role in amplifying pain signals and preventing recovery.
The consortium aims to develop a novel therapeutic strategy that not only dampens harmful inflammatory processes but also actively promotes regeneration and restoration of healthy neuroimmune communication. The ultimate goal is to help the nervous system regain its natural balance and thereby achieve lasting relief from chronic pain.
At the heart of this approach are extracellular vesicles (EVs)—tiny membrane-enclosed particles naturally released by cells. Acting as highly sophisticated biological messengers, EVs transport molecular signals between cells and coordinate a wide range of physiological processes throughout the body.
Particularly promising are EVs derived from mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs). These naturally occurring nanoparticles have demonstrated remarkable abilities to regulate inflammatory responses and support tissue repair in a variety of experimental disease models. Because they can reproduce many beneficial effects of stem cells without requiring the transplantation of living cells, MSC-derived EVs are increasingly viewed as one of the most promising next-generation therapeutic platforms in regenerative medicine.
“Rather than simply suppressing symptoms, we aim to address the biological processes that sustain chronic pain,” says the consortium. “If successful, this approach could open entirely new avenues for treating patients suffering from neuropathic pain.”
Bringing Together Expertise in Neuroscience and Extracellular Vesicle Biology
The Essen team is led by Dr. Fabian Szepanowski from the Department of Neurology at University Hospital Essen and Prof. Dr. Bernd Giebel from the Institute for Transfusion Medicine.
Dr. Szepanowski specializes in inflammatory and regenerative mechanisms within the peripheral nervous system and has extensive experience in translational neuroimmunology. Prof. Giebel is internationally recognized as one of the pioneers of extracellular vesicle research and has played a leading role in advancing the development of EV-based therapeutics.
The combination of expertise in neuroimmunology, regenerative medicine, and extracellular vesicle biology provides a unique foundation for translating scientific discoveries into innovative therapeutic strategies.
A European Effort to Address a Global Health Challenge
RESOLVE brings together leading researchers from five European countries:
• United Kingdom – University of Reading
• Germany – University Hospital Essen
• Lithuania – Centre for Innovative Medicine
• Romania – University of Craiova
• Croatia – Labena
By combining complementary expertise ranging from extracellular vesicle biology and neuroimmunology to experimental disease modeling and patient-based research, the consortium will investigate the mechanisms underlying chronic neuropathic pain and evaluate innovative therapeutic approaches across multiple experimental systems.
The project will integrate findings from laboratory models with analyses of patient-derived samples, thereby strengthening the translational potential of the research and accelerating the path toward future clinical applications.
Looking Beyond Symptom Control
For millions of patients worldwide, chronic neuropathic pain remains a lifelong burden that significantly impairs quality of life and often responds poorly to available treatments. By targeting the inflammatory and regenerative mechanisms underlying persistent pain, RESOLVE aims to move beyond symptom management and lay the groundwork for a new generation of disease-modifying therapies.
If successful, the project could not only advance our understanding of chronic pain but also establish extracellular vesicles as a powerful new therapeutic platform for neurological diseases characterized by dysregulated inflammation.
Wissenschaftlicher Ansprechpartner:
Dr. Fabian Szepanowski, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Essen,
fabian.szepanowski@uk-essen.de
Prof. Dr. Bernd Giebel, Institute for Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital Essen,
bernd.giebel@uk-essen.de
Weitere Informationen:
https://www.neuron-eranet.eu More information about the ERA-NET NEURON Initiative
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