A viable global Nav1.7-/- knockout mouse is disclosed, and a breeding colony of global Nav1.7-/- knockout mice. Also disclosed are an isolated mouse gamete that does not encode a functional Nav1.7, produced by the Nav1.7-/- knockout mouse an isolated Nav1.7-/- mouse cell, or a progeny cell thereof, isolated from the Nav1.7-/- knockout mouse and a primary cell culture or a secondary cell line and a tissue or organ explant or culture thereof derived from the Nav1.7-/- knockout mouse. Disclosed also are a hybridoma, wherein the hybridoma was originally formed from the fusion of the isolated Nav1.7-/- mouse cell mouse cell and a myeloma cell, and a method of making an antibody. Also disclosed are assays useful for screening prospective Nav1.7 inhibitors and dose ranging a test Nav1.7 inhibitor compound, which were validated using the Nav1.7-/- knockout mouse.
