Opioids News and Research

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An opioid is a chemical that works by binding to opioid receptors, which are found principally in the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract. The receptors in these two organ systems mediate both the beneficial effects and the side effects of opioids.

Convergence starts Phase II proof of concept study with CNV2197944 in pain associated with PHN

Convergence Pharmaceuticals Limited, the company focused on the development of novel and high value analgesic medicines for the treatment of chronic pain, today announces that it has started a Phase II proof of concept study with CNV2197944 in pain associated with post-herpetic neuralgia.

24 Apr 2013

Sucampo's supplemental new drug application for AMITIZA gets FDA approval

Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. announced today that the United States Food and Drug Administration has approved Sucampo's supplemental new drug application for AMITIZA (lubiprostone) (24 mcg twice daily) as the first and only oral medication for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation in adult patients with chronic, non-cancer pain.

24 Apr 2013

1 in 4 teens misused or abused a prescription drug at least once in their lifetime

New, nationally projectable survey results released today by The Partnership at Drugfree.org and MetLife Foundation confirmed that one in four teens has misused or abused a prescription (Rx) drug at least once in their lifetime - a 33 percent increase over the past five years.

23 Apr 2013

Study indentifies unmet medical need for treatment of patients with chronic pain and dysphagia

Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development of innovative treatments for chronic pain, today announced the completion of a research study, conducted with an independent market research firm, that identified a significant unmet medical need for improved treatments for patients with chronic pain and dysphagia/odynophagia. In clinical practice, dysphagia is most often defined as difficulty in swallowing and odynophagia is defined as pain upon swallowing.

22 Apr 2013

Neura Therapeutik plans to speed up development of abuse-deterrent, generic extended-release opioids

Neura Therapeutik announced today that they will be accelerating the development of their abuse-deterrent brand and generic extended-release opioids.

19 Apr 2013

FDA agrees to allow ADial to move forward with Phase III trial of AD04 for alcohol use disorder

ADial Pharmaceuticals, LLC, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has agreed to allow ADial to move forward with its plan to initiate Phase III trials of AD04 as a treatment for alcohol use disorder in certain targeted genotypes population only.

19 Apr 2013

Updated labeling for Purdue Pharma's reformulated OxyContin tablets gets FDA approval

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved updated labeling for Purdue Pharma L.P.'s reformulated OxyContin (oxycodone hydrochloride controlled-release) tablets.

17 Apr 2013

VCU researchers shed light on biopsychosocial, spiritual effects of taking opioids for noncancer pain

Researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University sought to shed light on the biopsychosocial and spiritual effects of taking prescribed opioids to treat noncancer pain.

15 Apr 2013

New research shows effects of long-term use of opioid therapy

Half of patients on high-dose, long-term opioid therapy had hormonal disturbances or signs of inflammation, while 100 percent reported improved pain control and mental outlook, new research shows.

15 Apr 2013

Omeros' GPCR platform unlocks new drug targets against multiple sclerosis

Omeros Corporation today announced positive data in the most commonly used model for studying the clinical and pathological features of multiple sclerosis (MS), further advancing its development program of GPR17-targeting compounds for the treatment of MS. Compounds previously discovered by Omeros that inhibit GPR17, an orphan G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) unlocked by Omeros, significantly improved function from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in mice.

11 Apr 2013

Study shows genetic variant reduces pain severity associated with sexual assault

One in five U.S. women are sexually assaulted in their lifetimes and more than half experience severe pain during the week following an attack.

11 Apr 2013

New national study examines marijuana use and prescription drug misuse

Individuals who use marijuana recreationally are more likely to misuse other drugs, including pain-controlling, but potentially addictive narcotics, sedatives and other prescription medications, than individuals who do not use marijuana, according to a new national study issued today by Quest Diagnostics, the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services.

From Quest Diagnostics 9 Apr 2013

Tris Pharma gets FDA NDA approval for Karbinal ER Extended-release Oral Suspension

Tris Pharma, a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative drug delivery technologies, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved its New Drug Application for Karbinal ER (carbinoxamine maleate) Extended-release Oral Suspension 4mg/5ml, the first sustained-release histamine receptor blocking agent indicated for the treatment of seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis in children ages 2 and up.

4 Apr 2013

Viewpoints: 'Big risks' of buying private insurance with Medicaid dollars; One month of sequestration

The Obama administration and Republican officials in several states are exploring ways to redirect federal money intended to expand Medicaid, the main public insurance program for the poor, and use it instead to buy private health insurance for Medicaid recipients.

2 Apr 2013

Correctional policies discourage released inmates from seeking methadone therapy, researchers say

Methadone treatment for opioid dependence remains widely unavailable behind bars in the United States, and many inmates are forced to discontinue this evidence-based therapy, which lessens painful withdrawal symptoms.

30 Mar 2013

Health Strategy Associates principal comments on impact of opioid use on workers' compensation

Opioids are the biggest problem facing workers' compensation today. This was the message Joseph Paduda, principal of Health Strategy Associates and author of www.ManagedCareMatters.com, delivered at the California Workers' Compensation Institute's annual meeting in San Francisco last week.

27 Mar 2013

New data reveals impact of opioid-related adverse events on length, cost of hospitalization after surgery

Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced data from a large-scale analysis of a national database of patients from 380 hospitals in the United States who underwent 319,898 inpatient surgeries and received opioids for postsurgical pain management.

27 Mar 2013

BUSM awarded funding to provide opioid prescribing education to health care providers

Awarded the first of its kind funding to provide FDA-mandated opioid prescribing education, Boston University School of Medicine has launched a program to train health care providers how to safely and effectively manage patients with chronic pain using opioid analgesics.

19 Mar 2013

Junk food during pregnancy changes development of opioid signaling pathway in the baby's brain

Here's another reason why a healthy diet during pregnancy is critical to the future health of your children: New research published in the March 2013 issue of The FASEB Journal, suggests that pregnant mothers who consume junk food actually cause changes in the development of the opioid signaling pathway in the brains of their unborn children.

1 Mar 2013

High-level results from AstraZeneca’s naloxegol Phase III trial on opioid-induced constipation

AstraZeneca today announced high-level results from KODIAC-08, an open-label, randomised, 52-week, long-term safety trial of naloxegol versus usual care (UC) in patients with non-cancer related pain and opioid-induced constipation (OIC). UC was defined as the investigator's choice of an existing laxative treatment regimen for OIC.

26 Feb 2013