NX90: a faster overdose treatment for fentanyl and other powerful opioids
Official title: NX90: A Treatment for Overdose Caused by High Potency Opioids
Funded at Serodopa Therapeutics INC · NIH-11195678 · Data updated 2026-11-12
NX90 is a new naloxone-derived antidote designed to quickly restore breathing for people who overdose on fentanyl and other high-potency opioids.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Serodopa Therapeutics INC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,407,382 |
| NIH project number | 5R44DA061722-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11195678 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who are at risk of, or have experienced, overdoses from fentanyl or other high-potency synthetic opioids would be the primary candidates for treatment or future trials.
✕Less likely to help
People with non-opioid causes of respiratory depression, or those with known allergies to naloxone-like drugs, would likely not benefit from this treatment.
What this research studies
This project is developing NX90, a modified form of naloxone meant to reach the brain faster and work at lower doses to reverse opioid-induced respiratory depression. The company is improving brain exposure and onset of action in lab studies and preclinical testing as a step toward human trials. If those steps are successful, the drug would move into clinical testing to confirm safety and effectiveness against fentanyl-like overdoses. The aim is an antidote that acts more reliably and with fewer side effects when standard naloxone is insufficient.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, NX90 could restore breathing more quickly and reliably after fentanyl-related overdoses, potentially reducing deaths and emergency complications.
How similar studies have gone: Naloxone is the current standard and can be less effective against fentanyl, and while higher doses or alternative antagonists have been explored, naloxone-derived drugs designed specifically for faster brain action are relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
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Serodopa Therapeutics INC
Gainesville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Voronkov, Michael V. — Serodopa Therapeutics INC
- Study coordinator: Voronkov, Michael V.
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.