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.

Physicians fail to provide pain treatment for fear of prescription drug abuse

Millions of Americans with significant or chronic pain associated with their medical problems are being under-treated as physicians increasingly fail to provide comprehensive pain treatment - either due to inadequate training, personal biases or fear of prescription drug abuse.

5 Jan 2010

Positive results from DURECT's Phase IIb POSIDUR clinical trial for post-surgical pain

DURECT Corporation announced today positive results from a 60 patient Phase IIb clinical trial of POSIDUR(TM), a proprietary product under development for the treatment of post-surgical pain.

17 Dec 2009

BDSI's BEMA Buprenorphine Phase 2 study meets primary efficacy endpoint

BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. announced that the primary efficacy endpoint was achieved in the Company’s Phase 2 pain study assessing the efficacy and safety of BEMA Buprenorphine. The positive results follow BDSI’s March 2009 announcement of favorable Phase 1 study results.

17 Dec 2009

Roche's P2X3 receptor program for chronic pain licensed to Afferent Pharmaceuticals

Roche announced today it has licensed its P2X3 receptor program aimed at developing first-in-class treatments for chronic pain to Afferent Pharmaceuticals. Afferent was co-founded by Anthony Ford, Ph.D., Pappas Ventures, and Third Rock Ventures, and is focused on developing compounds that treat chronic pain by targeting a novel biological pathway.

16 Dec 2009

Pharmacy directors willing to cover tanezumab at lower prices

HealthLeaders-InterStudy and Fingertip Formulary find that 70 percent of surveyed pharmacy directors expect to cover Pfizer's tanezumab if it is approved for the treatment of chronic pain. Tanezumab, which is expected to be the first biologic approved for chronic pain and is administered intravenously under medical supervision, will likely be covered as a medical benefit rather than a pharmacy benefit according to surveyed pharmacy directors.

16 Dec 2009

Update on proposed transaction that will lead to the merger of Cytopia into YM BioSciences provided

YM BioSciences Inc., a life sciences product development company that identifies and advances a diverse portfolio of promising cancer-related products at various stages of development, today provided an update on the proposed transaction which would result in the merger of Cytopia Ltd. into YM, details of which were announced on October 5, 2009.

11 Dec 2009

YM BioSciences announces results of collaborative antibody development program

YM BioSciences Inc., today announced the first results of a collaborative program between YM and the National Research Council of Canada's Biotechnology Research Institute (NRC-BRI). Utilizing YM's IntelliMab(TM) technology, the program is designed to generate novel antibodies that target cell surface receptors associated with cancer, uniquely optimized to produce efficacy with reduced toxicities.

10 Dec 2009

Low doses of lidocaine given intravenously help control pain after ambulatory surgery procedures

Although lidocaine is most often used as a local anesthetic, low doses of lidocaine given intravenously can help to control pain after common ambulatory surgery procedures, suggests a study in the December issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).

10 Dec 2009

Deaths from opioid use in Ontario have doubled, according to new study

Deaths from opioid use in Ontario have doubled-from 13.7 deaths per million residents in 1991 to 27.2 deaths per million residents in 2004-according to a new study led by physicians at St. Michael's Hospital and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) in Toronto.

8 Dec 2009

Opioids can be a safe and effective treatment for pain, shows study

A study published in the current issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) by Dhalla et al. has reviewed opioid-related deaths in Ontario from 1991 to 2004. The Canadian Pain Society (CPS) is very concerned that a small percentage of the population is misusing opioid analgesics, also called narcotic pain killers, resulting in harm and even death.

8 Dec 2009

FDA approves two New Drug Applications

Tris Pharma, a specialty pharmaceutical company that develops innovative drug delivery technologies, announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its first two New Drug Applications (NDAs) based on its proprietary OralXR+(TM) platform technology including the first-ever 24 hour liquid sustained release product.

7 Dec 2009

Genetic differences determine intensity of people's responses to social rejection

Scientists have long known that opium-like painkillers, called opioids, relieve not only physical pain, but also some forms of emotional stress. Now, a new study reviewed by Faculty of 1000 Biology member Markus Heilig shows that small genetic differences in the gene for the opioid receptor can determine the intensity of people's responses to social rejection.

4 Dec 2009

American Pain Society supports FDA drug disposal guidelines

Calling it "an important first step in attempting to reverse an escalating public health menace caused by diversion of prescription opioid pain medications," the American Pain Society today announced its support for a new FDA initiative to encourage consumers to remove unused pain drugs from home medicine cabinets.

3 Dec 2009

Javelin Pharmaceuticals submits an NDA for Dyloject Injection

Javelin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading developer and marketer of specialty pharmaceutical products for pain management, today announced that it has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its investigational product candidate, Dyloject™ (diclofenac sodium) Injection, for the management of acute moderate-to-severe pain in adults.

2 Dec 2009

Phosphagenics commences Phase 1B clinical trial of its oxycodone/TPM transdermal patch systems

Phosphagenics Limited today announced the initiation of a Phase 1B clinical trial for its patented oxycodone/TPM (Targeted Penetration Matrix) transdermal patch systems.

2 Dec 2009

New nursing guideline to enhance improved care for MMT clients

A pregnant woman walks into a hospital in early labour. She feels nauseated and achy; her contractions are 20 minutes apart. There is more to her story than meets the eye. She is on methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) and wasn't able to pick up her daily dose at the pharmacy this morning. Although her story may be hard to believe she is one of the estimated 17,000 clients in Ontario currently receiving MMT.

2 Dec 2009

Masimo Rainbow SET Acoustic Monitoring receives FDA clearance

Masimo, the inventor of Pulse CO-Oximetry(TM) and Measure-Through Motion and Low Perfusion pulse oximetry, today announced FDA clearance of its latest innovation -- Masimo Rainbow SET Acoustic Monitoring(TM)( -- )providing noninvasive and continuous respiration rate (RRa(TM)) that is accurate, easy-to-use, and enhances patient compliance.

1 Dec 2009

New article discusses the balance between pain management and drug safety

An article by Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, titled "A Difficult Balance - Pain Management, Drug Safety, and the FDA," appears in the Nov. 26, 2009 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.

26 Nov 2009

Study examines temporal association between media coverage and opioid-related deaths

Increases in deaths from opioid drugs such as OxyContin may be linked to the volume of coverage such deaths receive in the news, according to a study from Children's Hospital Boston and the University of North Carolina (UNC), Chapel Hill. The study compared patterns of opioid deaths and patterns of news coverage between 1999 and 2005, during which time mortality rates from opioid abuse doubled.

20 Nov 2009

Binge drinking, cannabis and prescription drugs still remain a concern among teenagers

While fewer teens are drinking alcohol in 2009 than a decade ago, binge drinking, use of cannabis and prescription drugs remain a concern, according to the 2009 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS) released today by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

19 Nov 2009

Opioids News and Research

Further Reading

Physicians fail to provide pain treatment for fear of prescription drug abuse

Positive results from DURECT's Phase IIb POSIDUR clinical trial for post-surgical pain

BDSI's BEMA Buprenorphine Phase 2 study meets primary efficacy endpoint

Roche's P2X3 receptor program for chronic pain licensed to Afferent Pharmaceuticals

Pharmacy directors willing to cover tanezumab at lower prices

Update on proposed transaction that will lead to the merger of Cytopia into YM BioSciences provided

YM BioSciences announces results of collaborative antibody development program

Low doses of lidocaine given intravenously help control pain after ambulatory surgery procedures

Deaths from opioid use in Ontario have doubled, according to new study

Opioids can be a safe and effective treatment for pain, shows study

FDA approves two New Drug Applications

Genetic differences determine intensity of people's responses to social rejection

American Pain Society supports FDA drug disposal guidelines

Javelin Pharmaceuticals submits an NDA for Dyloject Injection

Phosphagenics commences Phase 1B clinical trial of its oxycodone/TPM transdermal patch systems

New nursing guideline to enhance improved care for MMT clients

Masimo Rainbow SET Acoustic Monitoring receives FDA clearance

New article discusses the balance between pain management and drug safety

Study examines temporal association between media coverage and opioid-related deaths

Binge drinking, cannabis and prescription drugs still remain a concern among teenagers

Achieving and maintaining ISO 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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