Mirogabalin—A Novel Selective Ligand for the α2δ Calcium Channel Subunit

Abstract

The efficacy of neuropathic pain control remains unsatisfactory. Despite the availability of a variety of therapies, a significant proportion of patients suffer from poorly controlled pain of this kind. Consequently, new drugs and treatments are still being sought to remedy the situation. One such new drug is mirogabalin, a selective ligand for the α2δ subunits of voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC) developed by Sankyo group for the management of neuropathic pain. In 2019 in Japan, mirogabalin was approved for peripheral neuropathic pain following the encouraging results of clinical trials conducted with diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP) and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) patients. The ligand selectivity of mirogabalin for α2δ-1 and α2δ-2 and its slower dissociation rate for α2δ-1 than for α2δ-2 subunits of VGCC may contribute to its strong analgesic effects, wide safety margin, and relatively lower incidence of adverse effects compared to pregabalin and gabapentin. This article discusses the mechanism of action of mirogabalin, presents data on its pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics, and reviews the available experimental and clinical studies that have assessed the efficacy and safety of the drug in the treatment of selected neuropathic pain syndromes.