Funded Projects

Explore our currently funded projects. You may search with all three fields, then focus your results by applying any of the dropdown filters. After customizing your search, you may download results and even save your specific search for later.

Project # Project Title Sort ascending Research Focus Area Research Program Administering IC Institution(s) Investigator(s) Location(s) Year Awarded
3R01DE029202-01S2
Validation of Blocking TSP4/Cava2d1 Interaction as a New Target for Neuropathic Pain Cross-Cutting Research Leveraging Existing and Real-Time Opioid and Pain Management Data NIDCR UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE LUO, ZHIGANG DAVID Irvine, CA 2022
NOFO Title: Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Availability of Administrative Supplements for Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative awardees to make data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) through the HEAL Data Ecosystem
NOFO Number: NOT-OD-22-033
Summary:

This research provides support to strengthen data management, data sharing, and data readiness efforts within the HEAL Initiative. This support further fosters collaboration among HEAL awardees and enables maximal data discoverability, interoperability, and reuse by aligning with the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles. It also provides an opportunity for existing HEAL Initiative award recipients to increase data “FAIR”-ness, participate in coordinated HEAL Initiative activities to build community around data sharing, and foster sustainability of HEAL Initiative digital assets.

1R01DE029202-01
Validation of blocking TSP4/Cava2d1 interaction as a new target for neuropathic pain Preclinical and Translational Research in Pain Management Discovery and Validation of Novel Targets for Safe and Effective Treatment of Pain NIDCR UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE LUO, ZHIGANG DAVID Irvine, CA 2019
NOFO Title: Discovery and Validation of Novel Targets for Safe and Effective Pain Treatment (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NOFO Number: RFA-NS-18-043
Summary:

Validation of novel pain targets is a critical step toward the development of new non-addictive therapeutic agents for chronic pain management. Recent findings suggest that nerve injury-induced concurrent upregulation of the calcium channel alpha-2delta-1 subunit (CaValpha-2-delta-1) and thrombospondin-4 (TSP4) proteins in sensory and spinal cord neurons contributes to neuropathic pain development. Specifically, induction of aberrant excitatory synapse formation and sensitization of neurotransmission in spinal cord underlies this process; accordingly, a target site has been identified in the TSP4 that plays a critical role in mediating these pathological changes upon interaction with the CaValpha-2-delta-1 protein. This project will validate this novel target site in TSP4 for development of non-addictive pain medications, utilizing multidisciplinary approaches to investigate if blocking and genetic deletion of the target site can block or prevent the development of chronic pain state, aberrant excitatory synapse formation, and spinal cord neuron sensitization after injury in multiple rodent neuropathic pain models.

3R01DE029202-01S4
Validation of Blocking TSP4/Cava2d1 Interaction as a New Target for Neuropathic Pain Cross-Cutting Research Training the Next Generation of Researchers in HEAL NIDCR UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE LUO, ZHIGANG DAVID Irvine, CA 2022
NOFO Title: NOT-NS-20-107; PA-21-071
NOFO Number: Notice of Special Interest to Encourage Eligible NIH HEAL Initiative Awardees to Apply for PA-20-222: Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (Admin Supp - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Summary:

An important step for identifying new, non-addictive chronic pain treatments is the search for new, non-opioid molecular targets that reflect the human condition. Recent findings show an increase in levels of two proteins (calcium channel alpha-2delta-1 subunit and thrombospondin) in sensory and spinal cord neurons after nerve injury. This increase is associated with the development of neuropathic pain. This project will determine if chronic injury to key nerve fibers involved in pain cause changes in rat behavior that indicate altered mood. These nerve fibers include the trigeminal nerve that communicates pain, touch, and temperature sensations from the face to the brain and the L5/6 spinal nerves often associated with back and leg pain. This research will also test whether small protein-like molecules (peptides) that block calcium channel alpha-2delta-1 subunit and thrombospondin also block the mood-related behaviors.

1R01DA059422-01
Validation of a Virtual Still Face Procedure and Deep Learning Algorithms to Assess Infant Emotion Regulation and Infant-Caregiver Interactions in the Wild Enhanced Outcomes for Infants and Children Exposed to Opioids Virtual Assessments to Understand Developmental Trajectories of Substance Use Exposure NIDA UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN MCELWAIN, NANCY L (contact); HASEGAWA-JOHNSON, MARK ALLAN Champaign, IL 2023
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: Development and validation of virtual assessments to study children and caregivers in their natural environment (R01- Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NOFO Number: RFA-DA-23-050
Summary:

Both an infant’s ability to regulate their emotions and infant-parent interactions are critical to healthy brain and behavioral development. Accurate assessment of these factors for research in laboratory settings is technically difficult and burdensome for participants. Next-generation methods that can be used at home, including wearable sensors and machine learning approaches, promise to make it easier to assess infants with prenatal substance exposures. This project will use remote sensing technologies and machine learning to characterize dynamic real-time infant emotion regulation and infant-caregiver interactions throughout the day and in the home.

1R61NS113269-01
Validation of a novel cortical biomarker signature for pain Preclinical and Translational Research in Pain Management Discovery and Validation of Biomarkers, Endpoints, and Signatures for Pain Conditions NINDS University of Maryland, Baltimore SEMINOWICZ, DAVID Baltimore, MD 2019
NOFO Title: Discovery of Biomarkers, Biomarker Signatures, and Endpoints for Pain (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Optional)
NOFO Number: RFA-NS-18-041
Summary:

Chronic pain is a major health burden associated with immense economic and social costs. Predictive biomarkers that can identify individuals at risk of developing severe and persistent pain, which is associated with worse disability and greater reliance on opioids, would promote aggressive, early intervention that could halt the transition to chronic pain. The applicant’s team uncovered evidence of a unique cortical biomarker signature that predicts pain susceptibility (severity and duration). This biomarker signature could be capable of predicting the severity of pain experienced by an individual minutes to months in the future, as well as the duration of pain (time to recovery). Analytical validation of this biomarker will be conducted in healthy participants using a standardized model of the transition to sustained myofascial temporomandibular pain. Specifically the biomarker signature will be tested for its ability to predict an individual’s pain sensitivity, pain severity, and pain duration and will perform initial clinical validation.

1RF1NS134549-01
Validation of a New Large-Pore Channel as a Novel Target for Neuropathic Pain Preclinical and Translational Research in Pain Management Discovery and Validation of Novel Targets for Safe and Effective Treatment of Pain NINDS JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY QIU, ZHAOZHU (contact); GUAN, YUN Baltimore, MD 2023
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: Discovery and Validation of Novel Targets for Safe and Effective Pain Treatment (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NOFO Number: RFA-NS-22-034
Summary:

Activation of immune cells (microglia) in the central nervous system and neuroinflammation have emerged as key drivers of neuropathic pain. These processes can be triggered by release of ATP, the compound that provides energy to many biochemical reactions. The source and mechanism of ATP release are poorly understood but could be targets of novel treatment approaches for neuropathic pain. This project will use genetic, pharmacological, and electrophysiological approaches to determine whether a large pore channel called Swell 1 that spans the cell membrane is the source of ATP release and resulting neuropathic pain and thus could be a treatment target.

3UG1DA013732-20S2
Validation of a Community Pharmacy-based Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Risk Screening Tool (PHARMSCREEN) Translation of Research to Practice for the Treatment of Opioid Addiction Enhancing the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network to Address Opioids NIDA University of Cincinnati Winhusen, Theresa Cincinnati, OH 2019
NOFO Title: Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)
NOFO Number: PA-18-591
Summary:

Community pharmacies are optimal—yet underutilized—settings for identifying individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) and increasing their access to treatment. Approximately 93 percent of individuals in the U.S. live within 5 miles of a community pharmacy. The most common opioid-related tool available to pharmacists is the prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP), which provides highly limited information and support for clinical decision making. Appriss Health, the largest U.S. PDMP vendor, covering 42 states, has developed an opioid risk measure, the NarxScore. This study will clinically validate the NarxScore metric and identify high, moderate and low opioid risk thresholds to inform OUD care management within urban and rural community pharmacies. This is a prospective cross-sectional comprehensive OUD risk and behavioral/physical health survey administered electronically with patients (n = 1,523) filling opioid medications in urban/rural community pharmacies in Ohio (pharmacy sites: n = 12) and Indiana (pharmacy sites: n = 3), states that continue to have disproportionately high rates of overdose and opioid prescribing. Correlation, regression and kappa statistics will be calculated for validation; receiver operating curves with sensitivity/specificity values will be employed for threshold identification (with >95 percent power to detect an area of 0.7 under the curve value).

3UG1DA013732-19S4
Validation of a Community Pharmacy-based Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Risk Screening Tool (PHARMSCREEN) Translation of Research to Practice for the Treatment of Opioid Addiction Enhancing the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network to Address Opioids NIDA University of Cincinnati WINHUSEN, THERESA M Cincinnati, OH 2019
NOFO Title: Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)
NOFO Number: PA-18-591
Summary:

Community pharmacies are optimal—yet underutilized—settings for identifying individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) and increasing their access to treatment. Approximately 93 percent of individuals in the U.S. live within 5 miles of a community pharmacy. The most common opioid-related tool available to pharmacists is the prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP), which provides highly limited information and support for clinical decision making. Appriss Health, the largest U.S. PDMP vendor, covering 42 states, has developed an opioid risk measure, the NarxScore. This study will clinically validate the NarxScore metric and identify high, moderate and low opioid risk thresholds to inform OUD care management within urban and rural community pharmacies. This is a prospective cross-sectional comprehensive OUD risk and behavioral/physical health survey administered electronically with patients (n = 1,523) filling opioid medications in urban/rural community pharmacies in Ohio (pharmacy sites: n = 12) and Indiana (pharmacy sites: n = 3), states that continue to have disproportionately high rates of overdose and opioid prescribing. Correlation, regression and kappa statistics will be calculated for validation; receiver operating curves with sensitivity/specificity values will be employed for threshold identification (with >95 percent power to detect an area of 0.7 under the curve value).

1R01NS116759-01
Validating ASCT2 for the Treatment of Chronic Postsurgical Pain Preclinical and Translational Research in Pain Management Discovery and Validation of Novel Targets for Safe and Effective Treatment of Pain NINDS UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE MELEMEDJIAN, OHANNES KEVORK Baltimore, MD 2020
NOFO Title: Discovery and Validation of Novel Targets for Safe and Effective Pain Treatment (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NOFO Number: RFA-NS-18-043
Summary:

Pain associated with surgery is experienced by millions of patients every year. Although post-surgical pain usually resolves as the surgical site heals, up to half of the patients develop chronic pain after surgery. Opioids remain the mainstay treatment for post-surgical pain which are fraught with serious side-effects and abuse liabilities. The endogenous mechanism that leads to the resolution of post-surgical pain remain unclear, specifically the effects of surgery on the metabolism of sensory neurons and how those changes influence the resolution of post-surgical pain are not known. Preliminary findings suggest that surgical trauma suppresses pyruvate oxidation while increased glutamine catabolism was associated with the resolution of post-surgical pain. This project will test the hypothesis that tissue incision and surgery disrupt the expression of the glutamine transporter ASCT2, which then prevents the resolution of post-incisional pain and aims to validate ASCT2 as a therapeutic target. This project will also employ pharmacological, genetic and animal pain model studies test a novel RNA expression-based strategy to enhance ASCT2 expression in DRG sensory neurons and alleviate postoperative pain in animal model systems. Successful completion of this project would validate ASCT2 as a novel endogenous non-opioid and non-addictive mechanism-based target for the resolution of postoperative pain.

1UG3DA048386-01
Vaccines for fentanyl and its derivatives: A strategy to reduce illicit use and overdose Novel Therapeutic Options for Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose Focusing Medication Development to Prevent and Treat Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose NIDA UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA PRAVETONI, MARCO Minneapolis, MN 2019
NOFO Title: Development of Medications to Prevent and Treat Opioid Use Disorders and Overdose (UG3/UH3) (Clinical Trial Optional)
NOFO Number: RFA-DA-19-002
Summary:

The United States has seen dramatic increases in fatal overdoses due to heroin, counterfeit prescription drugs, and cocaine adulterated with fentanyl or fentanyl-like analogs. Current medications may not be sufficient to address the opioid overdose epidemic. As a complementary strategy, the researchers plan to develop vaccines against fentanyl and fentanyl-like compounds to reduce their abuse liability and the growing incidence of fatal overdoses. This research team has already developed vaccines against heroin and oxycodone that stimulate the production of antibodies effective in reducing opioid distribution to the brain, opioid-induced behaviors, and opioid-induced respiratory depression and have identified a promising fentanyl vaccine candidate cued up for optimization. Successful completion of an anti-fentanyl vaccine development project could offer a long-lasting, safe, and cost-effective intervention complementary to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and may reduce overdoses in opioid users as well as protect people in professions (e.g., law enforcement, airport security, postal workers) at risk of accidental exposure to fentanyl and fentanyl analogs.

1R43NR017575-01A1
Using Virtual Reality Psychological Therapy to Develop a Non-Opioid Chronic Pain Therapy Cross-Cutting Research Small Business Programs NINR COGNIFISENSE, INC. BAEUERLE, TASSILO; CEKO, MARTA ; WEBSTER, LYNN Sunnyvale, CA 2019
NOFO Title: PHS 2017-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, and FDA for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44])
NOFO Number: PA-17-302
Summary:

Chronic pain affects over 100 million Americans, costing society about $600 billion annually. Despite numerous pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies, over 50% of chronic pain sufferers feel little control over their pain. CognifiSense has developed a patent-pending Virtual Reality Psychological Therapy (VRPT), which is designed to create lasting reduction of chronic pain by addressing the maladaptive learning processes driving pain chronification. VRPT is an experiential learning system, which provides the brain a new set of signals that teaches it that the pain is not as bad as it perceived and that it has greater control over the pain than it perceived. VRPT combines the immersive power and the ability to individualize the therapy of Virtual Reality with well-researched principles of self-distancing, self-efficacy, and extinction to retrain the brain. The goal of this study is to determine the clinical feasibility of VRPT in achieving a lasting reduction of chronic pain, establish brain mechanisms associated with treatment response, and collect comprehensive user feedback to enable further refinement of the current product prototype. CognifiSense's VRPT has the potential to be a significant clinical and business opportunity in the treatment of chronic pain.

1R61DA057675-01
Using System Dynamics Modeling to Foster Real-Time Connections to Care Cross-Cutting Research Translating Data 2 Action to Prevent Overdose NIDA YALE UNIVERSITY HECKMANN, REBEKAH (contact); S SABOUNCHI, NASIM New Haven, CT 2022
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: HEAL Data2Action Innovation Projects (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Optional)
NOFO Number: RFA-DA-22-051
Summary:

First responders prevent many overdose deaths by providing life-saving resuscitation and giving naloxone to reverse an opioid overdose. This project will use a modeling approach to assess the impact of Good Samaritan Laws that protect people from certain criminal penalties if they call 911 to save an overdose victim by giving naloxone on overdose mortality. This research will develop and test a novel, scalable, telehealth platform that can be used at the time of an opioid overdose to link patients with access to medication for opioid use disorder, harm reduction services, and recovery support. The research will be informed by patient-outcome data.

1UG3DA050189-01
Using SMART Design to Identify an Effective and Cost-Beneficial Approach to Preventing OUD in Justice-Involved Youth New Strategies to Prevent and Treat Opioid Addiction Preventing Opioid Use Disorder NIDA Seattle Children’s Hospital AHRENS, KYM R (contact); HAGGERTY, KEVIN P Seattle, WA 2019
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: Preventing Opioid Use Disorder in Older Adolescents and Young Adults (ages 16–30) (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Required
NOFO Number: RFA-DA-19-035
Summary:

Adolescents and young adults in justice settings (AYAJS) have some of the highest rates of opioid use disorder (OUD), with national rates approaching 20%. Multiple studies have established effectiveness of the Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach with Assertive Continuing Care (ACRA/ACC) in reducing non-opioid substance use disorder (SUD); however, none have evaluated it as an OUD prevention strategy. SUD is common and costly among AYAJS; thus, ACRA/ACC-based approaches are likely to be effective and cost-beneficial OUD prevention strategies for this group. However, the optimal intensity of an ACRA/ACC-based OUD prevention intervention for AYAJS with and without non-opioid SUD is not known, as these groups are likely to have differing prevention needs. Seattle Children’s Hospital (SCH), University of Washington (UW), and Washington State Juvenile Rehabilitation (WSJR) will collaboratively evaluate ACRA/ACC-based OUD prevention strategies of different intensity levels among SUD and non-SUD youth.

1R21AG082344-01
Using Secondary Analyses to Test Novel Pathways Linking Family Stress and Pain Incidence and Persistence Among African Americans Cross-Cutting Research Leveraging Existing and Real-Time Opioid and Pain Management Data NIA UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER WOODS, SARAH B Dallas, TX 2022
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: Secondary Analysis and Integration of Existing Data Related to Acute and Chronic Pain Development or Managementin Humans (R21 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)
NOFO Number: RFA-DE-22-011
Summary:

Chronic pain is a persistent source of disability and reduced quality of life for aging adults. Chronic pain-related outcomes are disproportionately worse for aging African Americans, who report greater pain severity and worse pain-related disability compared to White peers. A significant pain risk factor for African Americans is chronic stress (including family-related stress), which is worsened by structural inequities that affect this population. Although many African Americans identify family support as critical for pain self-management, this influence has not been studied thoroughly. This project will study how pain conditions develop and persist for aging African Americans by analyzing existing data from African American participants in two large aging studies: Midlife in the U.S. (721 participants) and the Health and Retirement Study (2,698 participants). The research aims to determine how family emotional climate affects pain risk, taking into account structural factors like discrimination, socioeconomic disparity, and the influence of various neighborhood settings.

1DP2NS130454-01
Using Mouse Pain Scales to Discover Unusual Pain Sensitivity and New Pain Targets Cross-Cutting Research Training the Next Generation of Researchers in HEAL NINDS COLUMBIA UNIV NEW YORK MORNINGSIDE ABDUS-SABOOR, ISHMAIL JOHN New York, NY 2022
NOFO Title: Emergency Awards: HEAL Initiative- New Innovator Award (DP2 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NOFO Number: RFA-TR-22-013
Summary:

Acute and chronic pain vary widely across patients, due in large part to genetic differences between individuals. The same variation occurs in preclinical animal models with diverse genetic backgrounds. The development of automated mouse “pain scales” using high-speed videography, machine learning, and custom software allows pain to be assessed in a quantitative manner in nonverbal animals. This technology will be used to identify genetically different mice with high or low pain sensitivity, which will facilitate the development of new therapeutic strategies to treat pain and reduce reliance on opioids.

3U01DA050442-04S1
Using Implementation Interventions and Peer Recovery Support to Improve Opioid Treatment Outcomes in Community Supervision Cross-Cutting Research Leveraging Existing and Real-Time Opioid and Pain Management Data NIDA BROWN UNIVERSITY MARTIN, ROSEMARIE A; BRINKLEY-RUBINSTEIN, LAUREN; ROHSENOW, DAMARIS J Providence, RI 2022
NOFO Title: Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Availability of Administrative Supplements for Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative awardees to make data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) through the HEAL Data Ecosystem
NOFO Number: NOT-OD-22-110
Summary:

This research provides support to strengthen data management, data sharing, and data readiness efforts within the HEAL Initiative. This support further fosters collaboration among HEAL awardees and enables maximal data discoverability, interoperability, and reuse by aligning with the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles. It also provides an opportunity for existing HEAL Initiative award recipients to increase data “FAIR”-ness, participate in coordinated HEAL Initiative activities to build community around data sharing, and foster sustainability of HEAL Initiative digital assets.

1U01DA050442-01
Using Implementation Interventions and Peer Recovery Support to Improve Opioid Treatment Outcomes in Community Supervision Translation of Research to Practice for the Treatment of Opioid Addiction Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN) NIDA BROWN UNIVERSITY MARTIN, ROSEMARIE A; BRINKLEY-RUBINSTEIN, LAUREN ; ROHSENOW, DAMARIS J Providence, RI 2019
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN) Clinical Research Centers (UG1 Clinical Trial Optional)
NOFO Number: RFA-DA-19-025
Summary:

Individuals who have been previously incarcerated have a significantly higher risk of dying from opioid overdose, particularly in the first two weeks after release. Providing medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) to individuals on probation or parole decreases the rate of relapse and recidivism, and increases retention in substance abuse treatment. This study will test a systems-change approach for increasing use of MOUD across a network of seven probation and parole sites to improve linkage to the continuum of evidence-based care for justice-involved individuals. Implementation outcomes include program acceptability, adoption, penetration, sustainability, and costs. Client-level effectiveness outcomes include retention, satisfaction, opioid use, opioid overdoses, recidivism, linkage to OUD treatment, and utilization of recovery services. Targeting the intersection of justice and community-based care has substantial potential for addressing the opioid crisis.

1R61DA057600-01
Using Data to Drive Action to Reduce Opioid Overdoses in Seattle, WA Cross-Cutting Research Translating Data 2 Action to Prevent Overdose NIDA UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON BANTA-GREEN, CALEB (contact); HOOD, JULIA ELIZABETH Seattle, WA 2022
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: HEAL Data2Action Innovation Projects (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Optional)
NOFO Number: RFA-DA-22-051
Summary:

This project will use a data-to-action framework to guide implementation of opioid use disorder treatment and harm reduction interventions based on rapid data analysis. It will leverage existing data systems such as Emergency Medical Services (EMS) reports, mobile integrated health case management data, and medical examiner data for near real-time data analyses, visualization, and action planning. This research will collect a range of data (opioid treatment, use of acute care services, morbidity, mortality, incarceration, housing support, and cost benefits) from a sub-acute stabilization center for people at high risk for opioid overdose, including those who have recently overdosed and are referred and transported by EMS teams.

1UG3DA050325-01
Use of a GLP-1 Agonist to Treat Opioid Use Disorder in Rats and Man Novel Therapeutic Options for Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose Focusing Medication Development to Prevent and Treat Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose NIDA Pennsylvania State University Hershey Medical Center Grigson, Patricia Hershey, PA 2019
NOFO Title: Development of Medications to Prevent and Treat Opioid Use Disorders and Overdose (UG3/UH3) (Clinical Trial Optional)
NOFO Number: RFA-DA-19-002
Summary:

High relapse rates among people with opioid use disorder (OUD) indicate that addiction involves appetitive pathways. Peripheral stimulation of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) “satiety” pathway could reduce heroin seeking and taking. Pretreatment with a GLP-1R agonist reduces heroin taking, seeking, and drug-induced reinstatement in rats. This project tests whether GLP-1R agonists can reduce relapse in humans with OUD. A pilot study will be conducted to determine whether once-daily treatment with the shorter acting GLP-1R agonist, liraglutide, can safely and effectively reduce cravings among OUD patients. Animal models will be used to test the efficacy and safety of a longer-acting GLP-1R agonist, semaglutide, and then a clinical trial will be conducted to test whether semaglutide will reduce relapse and use in animal models. If successful, the study will show that treatment with GLP-1R agonists can safely and effectively reduce opioid craving, seeking, and relapse.

3UG3DA050325-02S1
Use of a GLP-1 Agonist to Treat Opioid Use Disorder in Rats and Man New Strategies to Prevent and Treat Opioid Addiction Sleep Dysfunction as a Core Feature of Opioid Use Disorder and Recovery NIDA PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIV HERSHEY MED CTR GRIGSON, PATRICIA SUE ; BUNCE, SCOTT C Hershey, PA 2020
NOFO Title: Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): NHLBI and NIDA Announce Availability of Administrative Supplements for HEAL Awardees to Address Sleep Impairments in OUD Treatment Response and Recovery Outcomes
NOFO Number: NOT-HL-20-746
Summary:

Opioid use disorder, a chronic and relapsing disease, is a significant and escalating public health concern. But, despite the availability of approved pharmacotherapies and promising therapeutic interventions, the high rates of relapse indicate a critical need for a better understanding of the factors that contribute to relapse to opioids, and for the development of new treatment approaches. Sleep problems are a common symptom in most substance use disorder syndromes, including opioid use disorder (OUD), but they are severely undertreated, partly because the standard hypnotic medications used to treat sleep disorders are themselves addictive. This study will investigate whether activating the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor pathway can help reduce craving while improving sleep in OUD patients. The FDA-approved medication liraglutide, a GLP-1R agonist, is currently approved to treat Type II diabetes mellitus and obesity in humans. This proposal for a supplemental study will add polysomnography, the gold-standard for evaluating sleep architecture, to an ongoing study. If successful, this study will provide a strong rationale for conducting a full multi-site, Phase III clinical trial.

3R01AR069557-03S1
USE AND SAFETY OF OPIOIDS IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING TOTAL JOINT REPLACEMENT New Strategies to Prevent and Treat Opioid Addiction NIAMS Brigham And Women's Hospital KIM, SEOYOUNG CATHERINE Boston, MA 2018
NOFO Title: Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)
NOFO Number: PA-18-591
Summary:

Over 30% of adults aged 65 years and older in the United States suffer from osteoarthritis (OA). Opioid analgesics are often used for patients with moderate to severe symptomatic OA. When non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic treatments are not effective, patients with severe OA may undergo total joint replacement (TJR). Our primary objectives are to evaluate patterns of opioid use before and after TJR and to assess the effect of opioid use patterns on clinical outcomes and safety events in a large U.S. population–based cohort of OA patients. The specific aims are to: 1) identify predictors of persistent opioid use and opioid dose escalation in patients after TJR for hip or knee OA and 2) evaluate effects of opioid use patterns on short- and long-term clinical outcomes and safety following TJR. The results of this study will provide guidance on surgical risk stratification and pain management of patients before and after TJR.

1U01DK123813-01
UPENN Scientific and Data Research Center for the HOPE Consortium to Reduce Pain and Opioid Use in Hemodialysis Clinical Research in Pain Management Integrated Approach to Pain and Opioid Use in Hemodialysis Patients NIDDK UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA DEMBER, LAURA M (contact); FARRAR, JOHN T; KAMPMAN, KYLE MATTHEW; LANDIS, J RICHARD Philadelphia, PA 2019
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: Integrated Approach to Pain and Opioid Use in Hemodialysis Patients: The Hemodialysis Opioid Prescription Effort (HOPE) Consortium - Scientific and Data Research Center (U01 Clinical Trial Required)
NOFO Number: RFA-DK-18-031
Summary:

The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine serves as the Scientific and Data Research Center (SDRC) for the Hemodialysis Opioid Prescription Effort (HOPE) Consortium. Specifically, the SDRC will 1) provide scientific leadership for the HOPE Consortium clinical trial; 2) provide comprehensive operational support to the Clinical Centers for implementing the collaboratively designed trial protocol; 3) develop and lead a Stakeholder Engagement Working Group; 4) integrate and analyze data from the electronic health records of the participating Clinical Centers; 5) establish, promote, and maintain consortium-wide high standards for quality assurance and practices; 6) initiate and oversee contracts with industry partners; 7) prepare reports for the Data and Safety Monitoring Board, and support the preparation of Consortium reports of scientific findings; 8) prepare, document, and transfer Consortium data and biosamples to a Central Repository; and 9) develop approaches for disseminating the trial findings to diverse stakeholders.

1U24NS115691-01
UPENN HEAL - Pain Clinical Trial Network Specialized Clinical Center Clinical Research in Pain Management Early Phase Pain Investigation Clinical Network (EPPIC-Net) NINDS UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA FARRAR, JOHN T (contact); ASHBURN, MICHAEL ALAN Philadelphia, PA 2019
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: Early Phase Pain Investigation Clinical Network - Specialized Clinical Centers (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NOFO Number: RFA-NS-19-036
Summary:

EPPIC-Net will provide a robust and readily accessible infrastructure for the rapid implementation and performance of high-quality comprehensive studies of patients with well-defined pain conditions, and the rapid design and performance of high-quality Phase 2 clinical trials to test promising novel therapeutics for pain. Using the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania as a hub and five additional centers that are part of the UPenn Health System and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) as spokes, studies will be conducted as designed by the expertise of the EPPIC Network, which intends to bring intense focus to relatively small numbers of patients with clinically well-defined pain conditions and high unmet therapeutic needs. The UPenn Specialized Clinical Center (SCC) will test novel, efficient study designs including adaptive and platform designs, validation studies of biomarkers, and biomarker-informed proof of principle or target engagement studies in Phase 2 trials of interventions from academic and industry partners.

3U24NS115691-01S1
UPENN HEAL - Pain Clinical Trial Network Specialized Clinical Center Clinical Research in Pain Management Early Phase Pain Investigation Clinical Network (EPPIC-Net) NINDS UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA FARRAR, JOHN T Philadelphia, PA 2021
NOFO Title: Notice of Special Interest to Encourage Eligible NIH HEAL Initiative Awardees to Apply for PA-20-222: Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (Admin Supp - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NOFO Number: NOT-NS-20-107
Summary:

A significant gap exists in understanding of the barriers blocking access to specialized care for children of color who experience headaches, as well as to understand and appreciate the impact of undertreatment on a child’s functional ability and quality of life. Long-term, this research aims to understand these barriers to care and test interventions to remedy disparities. As the first step, this project's primary objective is to identify socioeconomic and clinical factors that lead children experiencing headache to seek care in an emergency department in lieu of outpatient neurology care. The results of this research will help to inform efforts to reduce the negative effects of emergency department overuse in this population and guide them to potentially more appropriate outpatient care.

1U24NS113784-01
University of Rochester Hub and Spokes for the EPPIC Network - Specialized Clinical Center Clinical Research in Pain Management Early Phase Pain Investigation Clinical Network (EPPIC-Net) NINDS UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER MARKMAN, JOHN DOUGLAS (contact); GEWANDTER, JENNIFER Rochester, NY 2019
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: Early Phase Pain Investigation Clinical Network - Specialized Clinical Centers (U24 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)
NOFO Number: RFA-NS-19-025
Summary:

The NIH’s HEAL Initiative aims to support collaboration between clinical research experts in academia and industry to accelerate the development of highly efficacious, nonaddictive analgesics for well-defined chronic pain syndromes. The University of Rochester (UR), and its leadership for the UR Hub and Spokes within Early Phase Pain Investigation Clinical Network (EPPIC-Net), will recruit subjects with a broad range of pain conditions, with a focus on leveraging clinical trial infrastructure to support patient recruitment and retention, timely and accurate data entry, and regulatory documentation, as well as recruit additional Spoke sites through a national network of analgesic researchers.