TOKYO >> Kyoto University researchers say they have discovered a powerful painkiller that could alleviate the severe pain of cancer patients without grave side effects.
Currently fentanyl is used, but it is highly addictive. Researchers said the new drug is nonaddictive, and they aim to put it to practical use as early as 2028.
Pain relievers are divided into two categories: nonopioids, such as aspirin, which are used for mild pain, and opioids, such as fentanyl and morphine, which deliver much stronger relief.
However, opioids cause side effects such as breathing problems and is addictive. In the U.S., about 80,000 people died from opioid overdose in 2023.
Kyoto University professor Masatoshi Hagiwara and associate professor Masayasu Toyomoto focused on noradrenaline, a neurotransmitter that suppresses pain. The men found a compound in a database that increases the secretion of noradrenaline. When the compound was administered to mice and monkeys, it was found to have pain-relieving effects comparable to those of opioids, without the adverse side effects.
In addition, a clinical trial conducted at Kyoto University Hospital, involving 20 patients who had undergone lung cancer surgery, yielded promising results.
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“If this compound is put into practical use, it could contribute greatly to the reduction of opioid use in medical settings,” said Hagiwara.
The team is scheduled to conduct a clinical trial involving hundreds of participants in the United States as early as next year.
“If the pain reliever demonstrates efficacy in treating chronic pain that is difficult to treat, it has the potential for widespread use,” said Makoto Tsuda, a professor at Kyushu University and a neuropharmacology expert.
AloJapan.com