Our Department of Biosciences is working on a new drug based on a protein found in tick saliva that could ease chronic pain and itching in people.

New research shows that the protein – called Votucalis – provided pain and itch relief in a study involving mice.

Dr Paul Chazot is working with Newcastle University and pharmaceutical company Akari Therapeutics Plc (UK) on the research.

Their research could lead to a replacement for traditional opioid painkillers that researchers say are largely ineffective, can have serious side-effects and can be addictive.

Votucalis is derived from the saliva of the Rhipicephalus appendiculatus tick which secretes the substance into its host when feeding so the host is unaware that they’ve been bitten.

It’s a biologic drug that works by binding together histamine in the human body, stopping it from activating its four cell receptors. This leads to reduced itching and pain.

Conditions that cause chronic pain or itching include atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, arthritis, diabetes, sciatica, and back injuries.

Persistent or chronic pain is a huge global health challenge, which affects over 20 per cent of the population.

It is the single biggest reason that people in the UK visit their doctor and is recognised as a priority disease by the World Health Organisation.