In 2022, the Swedish scientist Svante P??bo was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, in whose study published in 2020, 3 mutations were discovered to have existed in the sequence of the voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.7 in the extinct Neanderthals compared to that in modern humans, which led to remarkable changes of the channel activity. In previous studies, large amounts of genetic evidence have indicated that NaV1.7 is closely related to pain perception. In this review, drawing from the work of P??bo, we give a brief introduction to the expression pattern and electrophysiological properties of NaV1.7, the mutation sites in NaV1.7 associated with multiple pain disorders, and the drug development targeting NaV1.7, including natural toxins, small molecule inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies.