Sorrento Therapeutics, a publicly-traded, development-stage biopharmaceutical company, has acquired Sherrington Pharmaceuticals, a privately-held company focused on the development of a chronic pain treatment for end-stage cancer patients and other severe pain indications.

Sherrington's drug candidate Resiniferatoxin is a non-opiate, ultra potent and selective agonist of the TRPV-1 receptor. A single injection of the compound is expected to permanently block the transmission of pain signals without impairing the mental or physical faculties of the patient, common side effects of opiate treatment.

Resiniferatoxin currently is in an investigator-sponsored phase I/II clinical trial at the NIH under a company sponsored Collaborative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA). Sorrento plans to initiate additional clinical studies to rapidly advance the drug.