21 January 2025 – Dogwood Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: DWTX), a clinical-stage biotech devoted to non-opioid pain solutions, announced a significant development in its neurological pipeline today: the first patient has been dosed in the Phase IIb HALT-CINP (Halneuron® Treatment of Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathic Pain) trial. The study is slated to begin dosing through the first quarter of 2025 and represents a meaningful stride in developing alternative pain management strategies.

Halneuron® targets the Nav1.7 voltage-gated sodium channel, a well-validated pain mediator, with the goal of mitigating chronic neuropathic pain that arises after chemotherapy—without the risk of addiction posed by traditional opioids. The compound has already been evaluated in over 700 patients across Phase I and II trials, demonstrating significant relief of cancer-related pain and an encouraging safety profile. Crucially, no signs of addiction potential have emerged throughout its development.

Why This Matters—Context & Significance (Embedded)

Chemotherapy-induced neuropathy (CINP) affects approximately one in three patients treated with agents like taxanes or platinum drugs, causing debilitating pain that may persist long after treatment ends. Current pain management—often involving off-label use of anticonvulsants or antidepressants—offers limited relief, and opioid alternatives carry addiction risks and regulatory barriers.

Halneuron®’s Phase IIb initiation is critical for several reasons:

1. Addressing Unmet Need
   The trial focuses on a pain condition lacking reliable, non-addictive therapies. Positive outcomes could transform supportive oncology care and significantly improve survivors’ quality of life.
2. Non-Opioid Mechanism
   By targeting Nav1.7, Halneuron® offers a mechanism-based approach to pain relief, which may be safer and more precise than traditional analgesics.
3. Operational Maturity
   Having already enrolled hundreds of patients in early-phase trials, Dogwood demonstrates both clinical discipline and readiness to scale—key for advancing into registrational studies if Phase IIb results are encouraging.

As 2025 unfolds, Dogwood’s trial will be closely watched—not only by oncology researchers but by the broader pain management community, which is calling for alternatives to opioids. Should Halneuron® succeed in demonstrating efficacy and safety, it may pave the way for Phase III testing and eventual regulatory transformation in how neuropathic pain is treated in cancer patients.