CombiGene and Zyneyro, together with, among others, the pain program COZY's Scientific Advisory Board, have analyzed a number of different pain conditions to identify which indication is best suited to start with in clinical studies in the peptide-based project COZY01. After carefully reviewing the medical conditions for a first proof-of-concept study, CombiGene and Zyneyro have decided to focus the first study in humans on patients with pain associated with herpes zoster (shingles) - a very painful complication. Shingles occurs mainly in people over 50 years of age and causes severe and clearly defined pain, often in combination with hypersensitivity of the skin.

This patient group is relatively homogeneous, hence very well suited to study the effect of a COZY01 treatment. Once proof-of-concept has been shown, continued development will focus on diabetic neuropathy, one of the most common chronic complications in diabetes. A clear symptom of diabetic neuropathy is severe chronic pain.

In addition to the human suffering, diabetic neuropathy places a large and growing burden on healthcare systems, and, like many other chronic pain conditions, there are no effective forms of treatment.