Local adenosine treatment to reduce pain and help heal bone fractures
Official title: Modulation of local adenosine signaling to attenuate fracture pain
Funded at Duke University · NIH-11303603 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work is developing a local adenosine-based approach to relieve pain and support healing for people with bone fractures.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | April 15, 2021 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $79,396 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AR079189-05S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11303603 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with recent acute bone fractures or recovering from orthopedic fracture surgery who need pain relief and want alternatives to NSAIDs or opioids.
✕Less likely to help
People with chronic non-fracture pain conditions or pain unrelated to bone injury are unlikely to benefit from this fracture-focused approach.
What this research studies
The team is creating an injectable biomaterial that releases adenosine directly at a broken bone to both blunt pain signals and encourage bone formation. They will test different doses and formulations in lab and preclinical models to see how the material affects pain and fracture healing. Measurements will include pain-related outcomes and markers of bone repair over time, alongside safety checks for the delivery material. If promising, the approach would be prepared for future clinical testing in patients with fractures.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lessen fracture pain while improving bone healing and reduce reliance on NSAIDs or opioids.
How similar studies have gone: Prior laboratory and animal studies show adenosine can promote bone growth and reduce pain, but using a local injectable biomaterial for fractures is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Duke University
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Varghese, Shyni — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Varghese, Shyni
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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.