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With the opioid epidemic raging across America , many scientists are in search of an alternative painkilling drug — one that could be used in seat of opioids , without the mortal side force .
Now , a squad of researchers in the U.S. and Japan say they ’ve developed a promising new synthetic drug that could be as effective as opioids in relieving infliction but without posing the risk of addiction . In a new study , the drug , call AT-121 , successfully salve pain in rhesus rapscallion without leave in harmful side event or causing the monkeys to become addicted . Still , more research is postulate before the drug could be evaluated in humans .
Opioids are the most effective pain-relieving drugs, but they are highly addictive. Researchers have found a promising alternative that worked well for nonhuman primates.
" I think this is pretty interesting , " articulate Dr. Bryan Roth , a professor of pharmacology and a doctor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , who was not involved in the survey . " The results are really clear - cut , but there are a few thing that still require to be done before it can ultimately go forward , " he said .
Although the number ofopioidsprescribed in the U.S. has decreased since its meridian in 2010 , the grade stay on high . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) found that there were more than 42,000 deaths from opioid overdoses in 2016 , up from 33,000 deaths in 2015,Live Science previously reported . [ America ’s Opioid - Use Epidemic : 5 Startling fact ]
" It ’s a Brobdingnagian job . I do n’t think anyone take issue about that , " Roth told Live Science .
A new drug candidate
AT-121 is considered a bifunctional drug , fit in to the study , which means it targets and disallow the procedure of two specific opioid receptors in the brain that inhibit the sensation of pain sensation : the mu - opioid peptide ( MOP ) receptor and the nociceptin / orphanin FQ peptide ( NOP ) sensory receptor . exchangeable drugs have been contemplate inexperiments with mice , and although those medicine effectively save painfulness , they were notice to be addictive and therefore were not practicable alternatives to existing opioid painkillers .
" This is the first [ painkiller drug ] demonstrated in a nonhuman [ primate ] model to have such a bright profile , " co - aged study author Mei - Chuan Ko , a professor of physiology and materia medica at Wake Forest University in North Carolina , told Live Science .
The team essay the drug in 15 adult virile and distaff rhesus monkey ( Macaca mulatta ) . Through a series of experiments , the researchers determined that scalawag give AT-121 did n’t sense pain and did n’t experience the typical side effects associated with similar drugs .
" The botheration respite that was abide by in the [ animal experiments ] was like to that of morphia , yet the dose of AT-121 that was used was 100 - fold lower than that of morphia , " suppose co - senior study generator Nurulain Zaveri , the United States President and chief scientific officer at Astraea Therapeutics , a pharmaceutical company involved with the subject area .
Not only did the drug relieve pain , but the scallywag also did n’t become dependent on it . When the scallywag were given the power to self - administer AT-121 , by pressing a button , they repeatedly take not to do so . This indicate that AT-121 does n’t bring forth a rewarding or reinforcing effect that would lead toaddiction , at least in this short - term experiment .
The fact that the drug was learn in a primate model , rather than in a mouse model as is done in many similar studies , means that the effects of the drug are probably much closer to what scientists would expect to see in humans , Roth said . And the monkeys did n’t experience any changes in respiratory wellness while taking AT-121 , which suggest that an overdose would be unlikely to do the harmful or fatal respiratory effects associated with anopioid overdose . " That would be a significant advance if that [ lead ] is conveyable to humans , " Roth tot up .
One of the limitation of the sketch was that it did n’t look at what ’s call " off - target area activeness , " Roth read . This refers to fundamental interaction of the drug with other parts ofthe brainor areas outside the brain . " It ’s very important to determine out — does [ AT-121 ] interact with any other receptor or ion channel or car transporter in the body ? " Roth said . Such fundamental interaction could find out the potentiality for side core outside of the ones examined in this subject field .
The scientists design to continue their research by bear out the safety and toxicology studies that are required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration before proceed with human clinical trials . " We require to move as tight as possible , because our results are exciting , " Zaveri tell Live Science . The scientist are also researchingother compoundsthat have a similar profile as AT-121 , she added .
" If we can really come up with these new eccentric of compounds , they can potentially trim down a draw of medical encumbrance , " Ko said . " I comprehend this will have vast wallop in our society and world community . "
" This is one of several of these character of studies that have been published recently that suggest there may be promise for make secure medications for treating pain , " Roth said . " It gives me hope for the field that we may be turning a turning point . "
The research worker published their study today ( Aug. 28 ) in the journalScience Translational Medicine .
Original article onLive Science .
