Nonaddictive pain-relief prodrug gel for joint and musculoskeletal pain
Official title: Nonaddictive opioid prodrug nanomedicine for musculoskeletal pain
Funded at University of Nebraska Medical Center · NIH-11401234 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new, nonaddictive pain-relief gel uses a hydromorphone prodrug that stays at the site of pain to reduce pain without strong addiction risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nebraska Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Omaha, United States) |
| Project start | September 7, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $454,510 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR080500-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11401234 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with musculoskeletal pain conditions who may benefit from localized, long-lasting analgesia.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals with non-pain-related conditions or those unlikely to tolerate injectable hydrogromorphone prodrugs.
What this research studies
This project develops a macromolecular prodrug of hydromorphone that forms a hydrogel at body temperature to provide long-lasting, local pain relief for musculoskeletal pain. The approach aims to minimize systemic exposure and avoid spinal cord or brain analgesia, reducing common opioid-related side effects. Researchers will test the gel in a model of joint pain to see how well it reduces pain over time and how safely it clears from the body. If successful, this could offer an effective pain treatment with fewer addiction risks for people with acute or chronic musculoskeletal pain.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could provide strong, localized pain relief with a lower risk of addiction and fewer systemic side effects.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows that localized osteoarthritis pain relief with depot hydromorphone approaches can be effective and safer for systemic exposure.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Dong — University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Wang, Dong
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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.