New medicines to reduce brain injuries after non-fatal opioid overdoses
Official title: Development of polypharmacology agents for treatment of non-fatal opioid overdose complications
Funded at Texas Tech University Health Scis Center · NIH-11234892 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-friendly look at a project aiming to create new medications to protect the brain after a non-fatal opioid overdose.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas Tech University Health Scis Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lubbock, United States) |
| Project start | September 3, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $428,561 |
| NIH project number | 1U54MD020892-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11234892 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with a history of opioid use disorder who are at risk of non-fatal overdoses and related brain injury, or individuals who have survived a non-fatal overdose.
✕Less likely to help
People without a history of opioid exposure or those unlikely to experience overdoses may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project seeks to develop a new class of drugs to prevent long-term brain damage after non-fatal opioid overdoses. Researchers will use animal and other models to understand how overdose-related brain injuries happen and test potential treatments. If successful, these medicines could reduce cognitive problems and hospital stays for people who survive an overdose. The work is designed to translate findings into therapies that could be available to patients in the future.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the new medicines could lessen long-term brain injury and improve recovery after non-fatal overdoses.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows brain injury after overdose is a concern; this project seeks to translate that knowledge into new treatments, which is still in early stages.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas Tech University Health Scis Center
Lubbock, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: German, Nadezhda a — Texas Tech University Health Scis Center
- Study coordinator: German, Nadezhda 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.