A real ache-ievement!
Duke University researchers have devised a promising, potent pain reliever — seemingly without the harmful side effects and addictive highs of opioids.
While opioids interact with numerous cellular pathways, the experimental drug is more selective. SBI-810 targets a receptor in the brain and spinal cord, activating a single pain-relief signal while steering clear of other signals that could trigger troublesome consequences.
“What makes this compound exciting is that it is both analgesic and non-opioid,” said senior study author Ru-Rong Ji, an anesthesiology and neurobiology researcher who directs the Duke Anesthesiology Center for Translational Pain Medicine.
“[The receptor] is a promising target for treating acute and chronic pain,” Ji added.
Chronic pain is a persistent problem in the US. Nearly a quarter of adults, about 62 million, experienced it in 2023.
Chronic pain has helped fuel the opioid crisis. About 8.6 million Americans 12 years and older reported misusing prescription opioids in 2023.
And almost 70% of the 107,000-plus US drug overdose deaths that year were attributed to opioids such as fentanyl.
The good news is that there has been recent progress on this front, with more treatment options and fewer opioid-related deaths.
It’s too early to tell if SBI-810 can help the cause. The drug has not been thoroughly tested in humans, but the results in mice have been encouraging.
Opioids like morphine often lead to tolerance with repeated use, requiring higher or more frequent doses to maintain the same level of pain control.
SBI-810 relieved pain from surgical incisions, bone fractures and nerve injuries without a buildup of tolerance or constipation, another common opioid side effect.
When coupled with small doses of opioids, SBI-810 made them more effective at lower doses.
And it’s said to work better than the painkillers oliceridine and gabapentin in certain situations.
The findings were published recently in the journal Cell.
Ji’s team has secured several patents for SBI-810 and hopes to start human trials soon.
