New medicines to increase opioid pain relief while lowering addiction risk
Pharmacological targeting of nascent modulators of opioid signaling
Researchers are developing drugs that aim to make opioid pain relief stronger while reducing the chance of dependence for people who need pain control or who struggle with opioid misuse.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11180377 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project will look for new medicines that change how opioid receptors work by using large genetic screens and mouse models, then test many small molecules to find ones that boost pain relief but reduce addictive effects. The team already found receptor-like components that act as "anti-opioid" modulators and showed in knockout mice that removing them increased analgesia and lowered dependence and tolerance. Most experiments are currently done in lab assays and animals, so people are not being enrolled at this stage. If safe and effective compounds are identified, they could be advanced into human clinical trials in the future.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Future trials would likely include people who need opioid pain control for acute or chronic pain and possibly people at risk for or living with opioid use disorder.
Not a fit: Because this is preclinical, people seeking immediate treatment changes or those currently in opioid treatment programs are unlikely to benefit right now.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to drugs that provide stronger pain relief with less tolerance, dependence, and overdose risk.
How similar studies have performed: Animal and genetic studies have shown proof-of-principle that altering these components changes opioid effects, but translating this into safe human medicines remains unproven.
Where this research is happening
Gainesville, United States
- University of Florida — Gainesville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Martemyanov, Kirill a. — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Martemyanov, Kirill 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 below.