A new non-opioid medicine to treat chronic nerve pain and reduce opioid use

Development of a Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase Inhibitor to Spare or Replace Opioid Analgesics

NIH-funded research Eicosis, LLC · NIH-11257309

A new oral medicine designed to relieve chronic nerve-related pain and help people use fewer or no opioid painkillers.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionEicosis, LLC NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Davis, UNITED STATES)
Project IDNIH-11257309 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This program is developing EC5026, a first-in-class pill that targets an enzyme involved in pain signaling to reduce neuropathic and chronic pain. The team is completing lab and animal work, studying how the drug is absorbed and processed in the body, and optimizing a patient-friendly formulation. These steps are being done to meet the requirements for an IND so the drug can move into human safety and dosing studies. If milestones are met, the next phase will invite patients to participate in early clinical trials at selected sites.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates would be adults with chronic neuropathic or other nerve-related pain, especially those using or considering opioid treatment who want alternative options.

Not a fit: People with acute pain, pain not caused by nerve problems, children, or those with medical conditions that make participation unsafe may not benefit from or be eligible for this program.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this medicine could reduce pain while lowering the need for opioids and the risk of opioid use disorder.

How similar studies have performed: This is a first-in-class approach with promising results in animal studies and early development work, but large-scale human efficacy data are still limited.

Where this research is happening

Davis, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-10 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.