Abstract: The invention provides non-opioid pain therapeutic compositions that include an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) complementary to an identified target on a NaV channel mRNA. The ASO hybridizes to its target RNA and forms a duplex that recruits RNase H to degrade the RNA, thereby downregulating NaV channel synthesis, which inhibits the neuron's ability to contribute to the perception of pain. The ASO targets one of the specific identified targets, and may be provided as a gapmer that includes a central DNA segment flanked by modified RNA wings. When the composition is delivered to dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in vitro, the DRG neurons exhibit a dose-dependent knockdown of NaV1.7, NaV1.8, or NaV1.9.

Abstract: The invention provides a multi-well plate reader for providing simultaneous transmission of stimulation light to, and detection of emission light from, individual wells of a multi-well plate at a plurality of distinct wavelengths.