Creating a new treatment to prevent opioid dependence

Development of a Novel Calcium Channel Therapeutic for Opioid Use Disorder

NIH-funded research Vivreon Biosciences, LLC · NIH-11072769

This study is testing a new non-opioid medication to help prevent patients from becoming dependent on opioids after their hospital stay, especially for those who have used opioids for a while during their treatment.

Quick facts

Grant typeSbir 2 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionVivreon Biosciences, LLC NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (San Diego, UNITED STATES)
Project IDNIH-11072769 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on developing a novel non-opioid medication aimed at preventing opioid dependence in patients who have been exposed to opioids during hospitalization. The approach involves creating a small molecule therapeutic that targets calcium channels to mitigate the risk of developing opioid use disorder (OUD) after discharge. By addressing the underlying mechanisms of opioid dependence, the research seeks to improve patient outcomes and reduce the length of hospital stays. Patients who are at risk of opioid dependence due to prolonged opioid use will be the primary focus of this investigation.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are hospitalized patients who have received long-term opioid treatment for pain management.

Not a fit: Patients who have not been exposed to opioids or those with existing opioid use disorder may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly reduce the incidence of opioid use disorder among patients recovering from surgery or trauma.

How similar studies have performed: While the approach of developing non-opioid treatments is gaining traction, this specific therapeutic strategy is novel and has not been extensively tested in previous studies.

Where this research is happening

San Diego, 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 2026-06-13 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.