Fentanyl and Xylazine Interactions and Toxicity in Opioid Overdose Scenarios
Official title: Fentanyl and Xylazine Interactions: Toxicity Produced by "Tranq-Dope"
Funded at Davidson College · NIH-11393837 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A short, patient-friendly study to understand how fentanyl combined with xylazine affects heart and breathing and how well reversal medicines work.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Davidson College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Davidson, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $165,862 |
| NIH project number | 5R21DA061319-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11393837 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants would be adults with opioid use concerns or those at risk of exposure to fentanyl/xylazine combinations in clinical or EMS settings.
✕Less likely to help
The study may be less directly beneficial to individuals not at risk of exposure to fentanyl/xylazine or those who are not in clinical or supportive care environments.
What this research studies
This NIH grant focuses on a real-world opioid crisis by studying how certain drugs commonly found together impact heart rate, breathing, and oxygen levels. The research will test how mu opioid receptor agonists and alpha-2A agonists interact in the body and how these effects can be reversed with available medicines. The team will observe these drug interactions in a controlled setting to inform clinicians about safer treatment strategies during overdoses. Results could guide clinical practice and public health responses to this dangerous combination.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could improve overdose treatment and inform clinicians and responders about effective reversal strategies.
How similar studies have gone: There is limited prospectively designed clinical data on fentanyl-xylazine interactions, making this a relatively novel but urgent area of study.
Where this research is happening
-
Davidson College
Davidson, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Smith, Mark a — Davidson College
- Study coordinator: Smith, Mark a
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.