The Laboratory of Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation at the Max Delbrück Center, led by Gary Lewin, together with Entrepreneur-in-Residence Klaas Yperman, is advancing a novel therapeutic approach to treat neuropathic pain by targeting the mechanosensory protein STOML3. The project focuses on translating robust academic discoveries into a therapy that addresses the underlying mechanisms of aberrant touch sensation. By selectively modulating STOML3 activity, the approach aims to restore normal sensory function while avoiding the side effects associated with current analgesics. It is designed to address multiple neuropathic pain indications and to stratify patients based on sensory symptom profiles rather than disease etiology. The goal is to advance a first-in-class, non-opioid treatment toward clinical development and to open a new avenue for mechanism-based pain medicine.