NIH R01 · 2025
Deterrents for prescription opioid abuse
Project Summary Mu opioid receptor (MOR) agonists are the most effective treatments for moderate to severe acute pain, but their high abuse liability and risk for lethal overdose have exacted a significant toll on public health in recent years. Our program of study has investigated the feasibility of combining MOR agonists with kappa opioid receptor (KOR) agonists to deter abuse and enhance pain-decreasing effects. Our findings from Project Period 1 of this program indicate that the atypical KOR agonist, nalfurafine, decreases oxycodone’s abuse-related effects and enhances analgesia, but nalfurafine also produced significant sedative effects on its own. Recently, new KOR agonists have been…
From the public funding record at NIH RePORTER. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.