Improving methadone dosing for opioid addiction treatment
Official title: Methadone Dosing System (MDS)
Funded at Cari Health, INC. · NIH-10792827 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on a new way to personalize methadone treatment for people recovering from opioid addiction, so that the dose fits each person's unique metabolism, helping them feel better and stay in treatment longer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cari Health, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $318,172 |
| NIH project number | 1U44DA059627-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10792827 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals undergoing treatment for opioid use disorders who are currently prescribed methadone.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not currently receiving methadone treatment or those with contraindications to methadone will not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on enhancing the effectiveness of methadone treatment for patients overcoming opioid addiction by developing a new dosing system that accounts for individual metabolic differences. Current dosing practices often lead to inadequate treatment responses due to the variability in how patients metabolize methadone. The project aims to create a more personalized dosing algorithm that can better manage withdrawal symptoms and improve treatment retention. By utilizing genetic and metabolic data, the goal is to optimize methadone dosing for each patient, potentially reducing relapse rates.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective methadone treatments, reducing withdrawal symptoms and improving recovery outcomes for patients with opioid use disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that personalized medicine approaches can significantly improve treatment outcomes in various medical fields, suggesting potential success for this novel methadone dosing strategy.
Where this research is happening
-
Cari Health, INC.
San Diego, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schmidle, Patrik — Cari Health, INC.
- Study coordinator: Schmidle, Patrik
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Methadone Dosing System to personalize opioid treatment
A new, science‑based dosing approach aims to tailor methadone treatment for people with opioid use disorder to reduce withdrawal and improve retention.
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A Personalized Methadone Dosing System
This project is creating a new way to figure out the right methadone dose for each person to help them overcome opioid addiction more effectively.
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A system to improve methadone treatment for opioid use disorder
This study is looking at a new way to help people with opioid use disorder by making it easier for them to get their methadone treatment, especially for those who have a hard time going to daily appointments, so they can feel better and have more freedom in their lives.
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.