Nektar Therapeutics has dosed the first subjects in a Phase I study for NKTR-171, a new sodium channel blocker being developed as an oral therapy for the treatment of peripheral neuropathic pain. The single-ascending dose study will assess its MKTR-171’s pharmacokinetics, tolerability, and safety in as many as 50 healthy subjects.   NKTR-171 is a new molecular entity that is specifically designed to treat neuropathic pain by blocking hyperactive neuronal sodium channels associated with da...