Postoperative Pain Model Development Services
Postoperative pain remains a significant clinical challenge, driving demand for novel analgesics. At Ace Therapeutics, we leverage rigorously validated in vivo models of postoperative pain to support your drug discovery pipeline. Our preclinical services focus exclusively on characterizing compound efficacy through multimodal endpoint assessments, ensuring robust data for informed decision-making.
Postoperative pain models simulate tissue injury-induced sensitization, mirroring human surgical pain mechanisms. These models enable:
For instance, plantar incision-induced guarding behavior predicts clinical opioid efficacy, while fracture model weight-bearing deficits align with chronic post-surgical pain outcomes.
We utilize rigorously validated models in rodents, primarily rats and mice, to replicate clinical features of postoperative pain. Our models are reproducible, sensitive to standard analgesics, and optimized for downstream readouts.
Species: Mouse, Rat
Procedure: A standardized incision through skin and underlying muscle on the hind paw
Pain Duration: Pain behaviors observed up to 5–7 days post-surgery
Validation Compounds: Morphine, gabapentin, NSAIDs
Applications: Ideal for assessing acute postoperative pain and dose-response of novel analgesics
Typical Readouts:
Species: Mouse, Rat
Procedure: A midline abdominal incision is made through the skin, muscle layers, and peritoneum; followed by suturing of muscle and skin layers
Pain Duration: Pain behaviors and abdominal hypersensitivity observable for 2–5 days post-surgery
Validation Compounds: Morphine, buprenorphine, dexmedetomidine
Applications: Simulates mixed visceral-somatic postoperative pain, suitable for evaluating systemic or local analgesics, including visceral-targeting agents
Typical Readouts:
Species: Rat
Procedure: Under sterile conditions, the distal femur is exposed surgically and an intramedullary pin or screw is implanted; the site is sutured and monitored for inflammation and healing
Validation Compounds: Morphine, tramadol, pregabalin
Applications: Orthopedic pain model mimicking post-fracture or post-implantation conditions, especially relevant for bone-targeted or long-acting analgesics
Typical Readouts:
Species: Mouse, Rat
Procedure: A longitudinal incision is made through the skin and superficial fascia on the dorsal midline under anesthesia; the wound is closed with surgical sutures
Pain Duration: Nociceptive behaviors persist for 3–6 days post-surgery, depending on strain and incision size
Validation Compounds: Morphine, ketoprofen, COX-2 inhibitors
Applications: Useful for evaluating somatic pain modulation, non-weight-bearing behavioral responses, and topical or systemic analgesic candidates
Typical Readouts:
Our expertise centers on quantifying pain phenotypes through integrated in vivo analyses, enabling mechanistic insights and efficacy profiling.
Behavioral Assessments
Biomarker Analysis
Histopathological Evaluation
Electrophysiological Recordings
Our postoperative pain models are suitable for evaluating a wide range of analgesic candidates, including
These models also support
Ace Therapeutics is committed to providing scientifically rigorous, customizable preclinical services to accelerate your analgesic drug development pipeline. Contact us to learn how our expertise in postoperative pain models can support your next program.
What makes postoperative pain models distinct from other preclinical pain models?
Postoperative pain models are uniquely designed to simulate the tissue injury, inflammation, and subsequent nociceptive sensitization that follow surgical procedures. Unlike chronic pain models that focus on long-lasting neuropathic or inflammatory states, postoperative models reproduce acute to subacute pain phases, often with a predictable onset and resolution. This makes them especially valuable for screening analgesics intended for perioperative or short-term pain management.
Which types of surgical procedures are used in your models?
We employ a range of standardized surgical interventions including plantar incision, dorsal skin incision, laparotomy, and femoral bone surgery. Each model targets specific aspects of postoperative pain—cutaneous, muscular, visceral, or orthopedic—allowing tailored evaluation of candidate drugs across pain modalities.
What biological markers can be assessed in postoperative pain studies?
In addition to behavioral assessments, we analyze key biomarkers associated with postoperative pain, including:
These endpoints help in mechanistic investigations and pharmacodynamic profiling.
Can your models be adapted for specific drug delivery methods or compound classes?
Absolutely. We support a variety of administration routes such as oral, intravenous, subcutaneous, intrathecal, and local peri-incisional delivery. Our protocols are flexible and can be customized based on compound solubility, target tissue, or mechanism of action.
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Experimental Scheme
Implementation
Conclusion
Ace Therapeutics comprises a team of highly committed and skilled researchers focused exclusively on providing innovative preclinical contract research solutions for novel analgesic development. We deliver rigorous models and data essential for advancing targeted, non-addictive pain therapies toward clinical evaluation.