TREAT introduces the first gene therapy specifically designed to target trigeminal neuralgia, a debilitating neuropathic pain disorder characterised by sudden, severe, and electric shock-like or stabbing facial pain that affects about 1 million people in Europe. TREAT directly targets the pathophysiological mechanism, nociceptor hyperexcitability, providing a durable and potentially disease-ameliorating therapy that addresses the cause of pain, neuronal hyperexcitability, rather than merely managing symptoms. The therapeutic core of the approach is the Temperature-Induced Channel K⁺ (TICK), engineered for external control by means of a near-infrared (NIR) lamp. The therapy employs an rAAV vector system engineered to deliver the TICK gene selectively to nociceptors. Activation is non-invasive and patient-controlled: local heating from 37°C to max 40°C, triggers channel opening at the level of the peripheral nerve. Potassium-induced hyperpolarisation suppresses pathological firing of the damaged neurons and prevents transmission of pain to the central nervous system. Importantly, this therapy restores physiological excitability rather than blocking neuronal function, which not only represents a built-in safety feature but also a possible repair mechanism for injured neurons. The TREAT project is structured around two parallel and interdependent objectives: technical validation and business planning. Our milestone-driven approach, executed in collaboration with our strategic partner Day One, will de-risk the technology and establish the foundation for a future spin-off company stemming from UniMi. If successful, TREAT has the potential to redefine the treatment landscape for neuropathic pain.