Precise epigenetic drugs for opioid addiction
Official title: Developing high-precision epigenetic therapeutics for opioid use disorder
Funded at Boston Interactome, INC. · NIH-11578588 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A tiny, targeted drug approach is being developed to help people with opioid use disorder by rewriting the epigenetic signals in the brain to reduce cravings and relapse risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 1 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Interactome, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2025 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $119,942 |
| NIH project number | 6R43DA063250-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11578588 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with opioid use disorder who are seeking new treatment options and participate in early drug development programs.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without opioid use disorder, or those not eligible for early-stage therapeutic development, may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to create high-precision small molecules that disrupt specific protein interactions involved in epigenetic regulation tied to opioid addiction. By focusing on a targeted epigenetic mechanism, researchers hope to reduce addiction-related brain changes while limiting off-target effects. The work is conducted in early-stage development, with a focus on translating a novel PPI-targeted strategy into a safer therapeutic option for OUD patients. If successful, it could lead to new medicines that work differently from current opioid replacement therapies. The grant supports a focused, accelerator-style effort to move promising compounds toward preclinical validation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with opioid use disorder could have access to a new class of epigenetic-based therapies with potentially fewer side effects and improved relapse prevention.
How similar studies have gone: Early-stage, targeted epigenetic approaches have shown promise in preclinical models, but this specific PPI-targeted strategy is novel and exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Interactome, INC.
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Choi, Soongang — Boston Interactome, INC.
- Study coordinator: Choi, Soongang
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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.