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 Research Focus Area Research Program Administering IC Institution(s) Investigator(s) Location(s) Year Awarded
3S06GM123552-02S1
NATIVE TRANSFORMATIONS OPIATE PROJECT New Strategies to Prevent and Treat Opioid Addiction NIGMS Northwest Indian College RASMUS, STACY M; CALDWELL, SHEILA BELLINGHAM, WA 2018
NOFO Title: Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)
NOFO Number: PA-18-591
Summary:

Abuse of opioids constitutes a national public health crisis. Data from the Lummi Nation show that for the 18 Tribal member deaths occurring in the first seven months of 2016, five were opioid related, with the average age of the deceased being 29 years. The proposed Native Transformations Opioid Project (NTOP) seeks to develop research capacity at Northwest Indian College and its surrounding tribal communities to develop effective and culturally congruent strategies to reduce the burden of death from opioid and other drug-related overdoses in tribal communities in the Pacific Northwest. The primary aim of the proposed project is to identify the strengths and behavioral strategies in successful recovery from OUD in three Coast Salish communities. The ultimate goal of the proposed research is to identify Coast Salish recovery factors from OUD to develop a data-driven, culturally congruent intervention to reduce OUD and OUD overdose deaths.

2R44DA045410-02
Peripherally-Restricted Long-Acting Somatostatin Receptor 4 (LA-SSTR4) Agonists for Pain Cross-Cutting Research Small Business Programs NIDA PEPTIDE LOGIC, LLC RIVIERE, PIERRE San Diego, CA 2019
NOFO Title: PHS 2018-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, and FDA for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NOFO Number: PA-18-574
Summary:

The proposed SBIR Phase II program seeks to select a first-in-class, peripherally-restricted, and long-acting somatostatin receptor 4 (LA-SSTR4) agonist clinical candidate for development as a novel non-addictive analgesic able to replace opioids for the treatment of moderate-to-severe chronic pain. The program is based on strong scientific evidence showing that activation of peripheral SSTR4 produces broad spectrum analgesic activity and pursues a unique therapeutic strategy.   Unlike opioids, SSTR4 agonists do not induce constipation, respiratory depression, dependence, addiction, or abuse. Finally, unlike SSTR2 and SSTR5, SSTR4 expression in the pituitary and pancreas is very low, supporting that selective SSTR4 agonists are unlikely to perturb peripheral endocrine functions. The preceding SBIR Phase I program has already established the feasibility of conjugating a short-acting, potent, and selective peptide SSTR4 agonist to the antibody carrier. The resulting LA-SSTR4 agonist lead series has high agonist potency and selectivity for SSTR4 and has demonstrated antinociceptive activity in an animal pain model. The proposed SBIR Phase II program seeks to: optimize the existing lead series and select a clinical candidate for development,  validate and prioritize the indication(s) for clinical development using disease-relevant mouse pain models, and characterize the pharmacokinetics and safety/toxicology profile of the clinical candidate in rat and non-human primates to help design subsequent investigational new drug (IND)-enabling studies.

3UG1DA013035-18S5
Optimizing Retention, Duration and Discontinuation Strategies for Opioid Use Disorder Pharmacotherapy New Strategies to Prevent and Treat Opioid Addiction Optimizing the Duration, Retention, and Discontinuation of Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder NIDA New York University School of Medicine ROTROSEN, JOHN P New York, NY 2019
NOFO Title: Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)
NOFO Number: PA-18-591
Summary:

This study will (1) test pharmacologic and behavioral strategies to improve OUD pharmacotherapy treatment retention and to improve outcomes among patients who have been successfully stabilized on OUD medications and want to stop medication and (2) identify predictors of successful outcome and develop a stage model of relapse risk.

3UG1DA013035-18S2
Rural Expansion of Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder Translation of Research to Practice for the Treatment of Opioid Addiction Enhancing the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network to Address Opioids NIDA NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE ROTROSEN, JOHN P; NUNES, EDWARD V. New York, NY 2019
NOFO Title: Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)
NOFO Number: PA-18-591
Summary:

People who use opioids in rural areas suffer worse health and less insurance coverage. The opioid problem in rural areas is of particular concern, as rural areas have higher overdose rates despite equivalent rates of OUD. This is because rural areas have a scant number of clinics and clinicians who provide medication treatment for OUD. Thus, people living in rural areas must travel long distances to access clinics that may or may not have expertise in providing treatment to patients with OUD. Telemedicine (TM) could efficiently increase capacity for delivery of buprenorphine in rural areas and may increase the number of patients receiving medication treatment and improve treatment retention and outcomes. While the development of medication treatments for opioid use disorder (MOUD) capacity in primary care settings with optimal/comprehensive services is desirable, the current opioid crisis with escalating overdose death rates in rural areas suggests a need to implement an efficient, cost-effective system of MOUD services that can be scaled up quickly. The use of a centralized and Medicare-covered TM vendor utilizing a developed methodology and established organizational infrastructure offers the great potential for a rapid rollout to increase access to MOUD and improve treatment retention in rural areas. This cluster randomized clinical trial with two phases will test expanded treatment access to improve retention on MOUD in highly affected rural areas. Phase I will include implementing telemedicine in a limited number of rural sites with varying levels of office-based opioid treatment (OBOT) to inform implementation strategies for the main trial, and Phase II will include evaluate comparative effectiveness between OBOT alone and OBOT + TM at 30 sites.

1UM1DA049412-01
HEALing Communities Study - Massachusetts Translation of Research to Practice for the Treatment of Opioid Addiction HEALing Communities Study NIDA BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER SAMET, JEFFREY H Boston, MA 2019
NOFO Title: HEALing Communities Study: Developing and Testing an Integrated Approach to Address the Opioid Crisis (Research Sites) (UM1 - Clinical Trial Required)
NOFO Number: RFA-DA-19-016
Summary:

Although there are effective prevention and treatment programs and services to address opioid misuse, opioid use disorder (OUD), and overdose, gaps remain between those needing and those receiving prevention and treatment, in part because of a need to better understand how to make these programs and services most effective at a local level. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) launched the HEALing Communities Study to generate evidence about how tools for preventing and treating opioid misuse and OUD are most effective at the local level. This multisite implementation research study will test the impact of an integrated set of evidence-based practices across health care, behavioral health, justice, and other community-based settings. The goal of the study is to reduce opioid-related overdose deaths by 40 percent over three years. Boston Medical Center is partnering with academic institutions in three other states to study the impact of these efforts in 67 highly affected communities. The study will also look at the effectiveness of coordinated systems of care designed to increase the number of individuals receiving medication to treat OUD, increase the distribution of naloxone, and reduce high-risk opioid prescribing.

3R44DA044053-03S1
DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF VIDEO-BASED DIRECTLY OBSERVED THERAPY FOR OFFICE-BASED TREATMENT OF OPIOID USE DISORDERS WITH BUPRENORPHINE Cross-Cutting Research Small Business Programs NIDA emocha Mobile Health, Inc. Seiguer, Sebastian Owings Mills, MD 2019
NOFO Title: PHS 2016-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, FDA, and ACF for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44])
NOFO Number: PA-16-302
Summary:

Since 2002, persons with opioid use disorders who desire medication-assisted treatment can be treated with buprenorphine, which has been shown to be efficacious. Buprenorphine treatment can occur in any medical office-based setting, is prescribed by any physician who seeks to become waivered, and is taken by patients at home unsupervised. However, without visual confirmation of medication ingestion, providers remain unsure if patients divert part or all of their buprenorphine medication. This project will develop the technical and logistical workflow needed to implement a video-­based application, miDOT, for office-­based buprenorphine monitoring during the initial months of care, which will allow health care providers to monitor whether patients ingest the drug and adhere to treatment. The project will configure a video-based DOT platform, evaluate its effectiveness in securing medication ingestion and care retention for illicit opiate users, and solidify routes of sustainable commercial viability with commercial partners.

1U44NS115732-01
Selective Kv7.2/3 activators for the treatment of neuropathic pain Preclinical and Translational Research in Pain Management Development and Optimization of Non-Addictive Therapies to Treat Pain NINDS KNOPP BIOSCIENCES, LLC SIGNORE, ARMANDO (contact); RESNICK, LYNN Pittsburgh, PA 2019
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: Optimization of Non-addictive Therapies [Small Molecules and Biologics] to Treat Pain
NOFO Number: RFA-NS-19-020
Summary:

The development of non-addictive pain therapeutics can help counter opioid addiction and benefit patients, including those who suffer from neuropathic pain, in particular diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP). This project’s goal is to develop a safe, efficacious, and non-addictive small-molecule drug that activates Kv7 voltage-gated potassium channels to address overactive neuronal activity in DNP. Researchers will discover Kv7 activators that favor Kv7 isoforms altered in DNP and found in dorsal root ganglia, decrease off-target side effects observed with the use of earlier non-biased Kv7 activators, and optimize the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity profiles of these activators. This screening paradigm is intended to establish a clinic-ready, well-tolerated, and widely effective product to treat neuropathic pain.

1R34DA050267-01
2/5 Establishing Innovative Approaches for the HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study Enhanced Outcomes for Infants and Children Exposed to Opioids HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study (HBCD) NIDA DUKE UNIVERSITY SMITH, PHILLIP BRIAN Durham, NC 2019
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study (HEALthy BCD) (Collaborative R34 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NOFO Number: RFA-DA-19-029
Summary:

A more than 5-fold increase in the incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome has been reported since 2000. Preliminary studies show that prenatal opioid exposure is associated with increased risk of impaired neurodevelopment. Five institutions (Duke University, Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) have formed a consortium to develop strategies for the Phase II HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study. Research teams will develop instruments and strategies (recruitment/retention protocols, assessment batteries, and novel tools); conduct pilot studies (fetal and postnatal imaging, advanced imaging harmonization and quality control, assessment administration, biosampling) to evaluate instruments; and analyze available data, including imaging, behavioral, cognitive, and maternal data from studies on early brain development, to guide the Phase II study design. Upon completion, the consortium aims to conduct the Phase II study.

3UG1DA015815-18S5
Subthreshold Opioid Use Disorder Prevention (STOP); which will test the efficacy of a primary care Subthreshold Opioid Use Disorder Prevention (STOP) New Strategies to Prevent and Treat Opioid Addiction Prevention of Progression to Moderate or Severe Opioid Use Disorder NIDA UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO SORENSEN, JAMES L.; KORTHUIS, PHILIP TODD San Francisco, CA 2019
NOFO Title: Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)
NOFO Number: PA-18-591
Summary:

According to SAMHSA’s 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 11.4 million persons in the U.S. report past-year opioid misuse; out of them, only 2.1 million individuals met criteria for an OUD. Very little is known about efficacious interventions for those who do not meet criteria for moderate/severe OUD (i.e., subthreshold OUD). The prevalence of subthreshold OUD in primary care settings is 5 percent to 10 percent, with higher rates (21 percent to 29 percent) among those receiving prescribed opioids. Although they are at high risk of developing moderate/severe OUD and/or dying from an overdose, little or no empirical evidence exists for pragmatic prevention interventions that can be adopted at integrated general medical settings. To study the efficacy of prevention interventions to arrest the progression from risky opioid use, researchers will test the efficacy of a STOP intervention in primary care settings. STOP adopts an early intervention approach, based on a collaborative care model to prevent progression to moderate/severe OUD, and consists of a practice-embedded nurse care manager who provides patient education and supports the primary care provider (PCP) in engaging, monitoring and guiding patients who have risky opioid use; brief advice delivered to patients by their PCP; and phone counseling of patients by behavioral health providers to motivate and support behavior change. Researchers will determine whether STOP reduces risky opioid use and examine the impact of STOP on progression to moderate/severe OUD, overdose risk behavior and overdose events in adults with risky use of illicit or prescription opioids.

3UG1DA013720-19S3
Individual Level Predictive Modeling of Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Outcome 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 MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE SZAPOCZNIK, JOSE; FEASTER, DANIEL J CORAL GABLES, FL 2019
NOFO Title: Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)
NOFO Number: PA-18-591
Summary:

A persistent problem in the dissemination of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) is patient dropout, and matching patients to suitable medication early has the potential to minimize dropout. The overall objective of this secondary data analysis study is to develop and disseminate individual level risk prediction models using harmonized data collected from three multi-site clinical trials from the CTN, in order to predict specific clinical outcomes (e.g., dropout, relapse) for patients treated with MOUD, including methadone, buprenorphine or extended-release depot naltrexone. The relative importance of predictors in the best predictive models will be estimated, which may facilitate refinement of common data elements for future OUD studies. The comprehensive, harmonized database of treatment data created in this study can be used for future secondary data analysis studies and will provide a replicable data pipeline to process and validate OUD data in future protocols.

1R34DA050287-01
4/4 Investigation of opioid exposure and neurodevelopment (iOPEN) Enhanced Outcomes for Infants and Children Exposed to Opioids HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study (HBCD) NIDA NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE THOMASON, MORIAH E (contact); BERGINK, VEERLE New York, NY 2019
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study (HEALthy BCD) (Collaborative R34 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NOFO Number: RFA-DA-19-029
Summary:

Rates of neonatal abstinence syndrome have reached a staggering 6.5 per 1,000 births nationwide, creating an urgent need to identify how in-utero exposure to opioids and associated risk factors influence the developing brain. A multidisciplinary team will address these challenges in Oregon, a state particularly hard hit by the opioid epidemic. Through linking sites, the impact of the Phase I project is enhanced and will provide critical information to support a national-level effort for Phase II of the HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study. Aim 1 will develop, implement, and evaluate innovative recruitment and retention strategies for high-risk populations. Aim 2 will address anticipated challenges of the planned Phase II study by implementing and evaluating a multi-site, standardized research protocol including multimodal MRI of placenta, fetus, neonate, and 24-month-old brain; biospecimen collection; and assessment of substance use and other key domains. Aim 3 will evaluate data acquisition, processing, and statistical considerations to maximize data quality, usability, and integration across sites.

1R34DA050268-01
4/5 Establishing Innovative Approaches for the HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study Enhanced Outcomes for Infants and Children Exposed to Opioids HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study (HBCD) NIDA CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR MERHAR, STEPHANIE L (contact); VANNEST, JENNIFER J Cincinnati, OH 2019
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study (HEALthy BCD) (Collaborative R34 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NOFO Number: RFA-DA-19-029
Summary:

A more than 5-fold increase in the incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome has been reported since 2000. Preliminary studies show that prenatal opioid exposure is associated with increased risk of impaired neurodevelopment. Five institutions (Duke University, Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) have formed a consortium to develop strategies for the Phase II HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study. Research teams will develop instruments and strategies (recruitment/retention protocols, assessment batteries, and novel tools); conduct pilot studies (fetal and postnatal imaging, advanced imaging harmonization and quality control, assessment administration, biosampling) to evaluate instruments; and analyze available data, including imaging, behavioral, cognitive, and maternal data from studies on early brain development, to guide the Phase II study design. Upon completion, the consortium aims to conduct the Phase II study.

75N95019D00013-0-759501900095-1
Emergency Department-INitiated bupreNOrphine and VAlidaTIOn Network Trial (ED-INNOVATION) Translation of Research to Practice for the Treatment of Opioid Addiction Enhancing the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network to Address Opioids NIDA Emmes Corporation VanVeldhuisen, Paul Rockville, MD 2019
NOFO Number:
Summary:

Emergency department (ED)-initiated buprenorphine/naloxone (BUP) with referral for ongoing BUP is superior to referral alone in engaging patients with untreated opioid use disorder (OUD) in treatment at 30 days and is cost-effective. However, logistical barriers exist in translating research into practice. New BUP formulations such as the extended-release injectable BUP (CAM2038, XR-BUP) hold promise in addressing many of the barriers more effectively than sublingual buprenorphine (SL-BUP) by treating the patients’ symptoms for up to seven days. This study will recruit, train and provide resources to 30 ED sites throughout the U.S. using implementation facilitation strategies to address stigma and provide ED-initiated BUP for patients presenting with OUD who are not receiving medications for OUD. Once implementation is adequately achieved, the sites will conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to compare the effectiveness of SL-BUP versus XR-BUP on ED patients’ engagement in formal addiction treatment seven days after their ED visit. In addition, in an ancillary component of the study, the use of XR-BUP will be assessed in ED patients with Clinical Opioid Withdrawal Scale (COWS) scores of

1R01HD096798-01
SAFETY, PHARMACOKINETICS AND EFFICACY OF EXTENDED-RELEASE NALTREXONE IN PREGNANT WOMEN WITH OPIOID USE DISORDER Enhanced Outcomes for Infants and Children Exposed to Opioids NICHD Boston Medical Center WACHMAN, ELISHA Boston, MA 2018
NOFO Title: Opioid Use Disorder in Pregnancy (R01)
NOFO Number: RFA-HD-18-036
Summary:

Opioid use disorders (OUDs) in pregnancy are a U.S. public health crisis; the current standard of care is treatment with an opioid agonist such as buprenorphine (BPH), which has an associated risk for neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and possible long-term neurodevelopmental consequences. As a novel treatment option for OUD in pregnancy, naltrexone would not expose the developing fetus to opioids, greatly reducing the risk for NAS and potentially improving maternal and infant outcomes. This study will evaluate the safety, efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacogenomics of naltrexone for pregnant women with OUDs, evaluating comprehensive mother-infant outcomes throughout the pregnancy and first year after birth. It will enroll 50 pregnant women stabilized pre-pregnancy on extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) and 50 comparison women on BPH from Boston Medical Center and the University of North Carolina in this multi-center prospective comparative cohort study.

1R01DE029342-01
Identification and Validation of a Novel Central Analgesia Circuit Preclinical and Translational Research in Pain Management Discovery and Validation of Novel Targets for Safe and Effective Treatment of Pain NIDCR DUKE UNIVERSITY WANG, FAN Durham, NC 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:

This project focuses on identifying and validating a new central analgesic circuit in the brain, based on a highly innovative hypothesis that the strong analgesic effects of general anesthesia (GA) are in part carried out by GA-mediated activation of the endogenous analgesic circuits. Preliminary discovery studies found that a subset of GABAergic neurons located in the central amygdala (CeA) become strongly activated and express high levels of the immediate early gene Fos under GA (hereafter referred to as CeAGA neurons). Furthermore, activation of these neurons exert profound pain-suppressing effects in an acute pain model and a chronic orofacial neuropathic pain model in mice. Based on these exciting preliminary findings, this project will identify and validate CeAGA neurons’ analgesic functions utilizing multiple mouse pain models. Identification of these shared common pathways that need to be suppressed by specific subtypes of CeAGA analgesic neurons will be highly critical for developing precise CeAGA-targeted therapies to treat chronic pain.

3UG1DA015831-18S7
Emergency Department-INitiated bupreNOrphine and VAlidaTIOn Network Trial (ED-INNOVATION) Translation of Research to Practice for the Treatment of Opioid Addiction Enhancing the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network to Address Opioids NIDA McLean Hospital Weiss, Roger Belmont, MA 2019
NOFO Title: Research Supplements to Promote Re-Entry into Biomedical and Behavioral Research Careers (Admin Supp - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NOFO Number: PA-18-592
Summary:

Emergency department (ED)-initiated buprenorphine/naloxone (BUP) with referral for ongoing BUP is superior to referral alone in engaging patients with untreated opioid use disorder (OUD) in treatment at 30 days and is cost-effective. However, logistical barriers exist in translating research into practice. New BUP formulations such as the extended-release injectable BUP (CAM2038, XR-BUP) hold promise in addressing many of the barriers more effectively than sublingual buprenorphine (SL-BUP) by treating the patients’ symptoms for up to seven days. This study will recruit, train and provide resources to 30 ED sites throughout the U.S. using implementation facilitation strategies to address stigma and provide ED-initiated BUP for patients presenting with OUD who are not receiving medications for OUD. Once implementation is adequately achieved, the sites will conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to compare the effectiveness of SL-BUP versus XR-BUP on ED patients’ engagement in formal addiction treatment seven days after their ED visit. In addition, in an ancillary component of the study, the use of XR-BUP will be assessed in ED patients with Clinical Opioid Withdrawal Scale (COWS) scores of

1UH2AR076741-01
Imaging Epigenetic Dysregulation in Patients with Low Back Pain Clinical Research in Pain Management Back Pain Consortium Research Program NIAMS MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL WEY, HSIAO-YING Boston, MA 2019
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: Back Pain Consortium (BACPAC) Research Program Technology Research Sites (UH2/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional)
NOFO Number: RFA-AR-19-028
Summary:

Inhibitors of the epigenetic enzymes histone deacetylases (HDACs) produce analgesic responses and are therefore therapeutic targets for pain. The research team recently resolved a PET imaging agent, [11C]Martinostat, that selectively binds to a subset of HDAC enzymes. A series of initial proof-of-concept clinical validation studies will be conducted to evaluate whether [11C]Martinostat PET is a sensitive biomarker to detect the typical (axial) chronic low back pain (cLBP). The research team will validate [11C]Martinostat PET’s ability to differentiate subtypes of pain by comparing axial cLBP and other cLBP patients with radiculopathy and longitudinally study subacute LBP patients (sLBP) to investigate whether there is a unique imaging signature that differentiates patients who develop cLBP and those who recover from low back pain. Using [11C]Martinostat to understand HDAC expression changes in chronic pain patients will validate an epigenetic drug target, refine patient selection based on HDAC expression, and facilitate proof of mechanism in developing novel analgesics.

3UG1DA040317-05S2
Pharmacists’ knowledge of, attitudes about, and intention to provide pharmacy-based services for screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment and medication treatment for opioid use disorders Translation of Research to Practice for the Treatment of Opioid Addiction Enhancing the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network to Address Opioids NIDA Duke University Wu, Li-Tzy Durham, NC 2019
NOFO Title: Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)
NOFO Number: PA-18-591
Summary:

Given the magnitude of the opioid death epidemic, we need multiple approaches to increase use of medication treatment for opioid use disorder (MOUD) for people from diverse geographical locations. Pharmacists as dispensers of and gatekeepers to opioid medications, including those used for OUD treatment, are natural partners of health care providers. Community pharmacists are widely available even in rural areas. This 2-year study will use a mixed-method design that includes qualitative and quantitative approaches to study pharmacists’ knowledge of, attitudes about, and intention to provide patient care and services for screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment for substance use disorders and MOUD. Study aims are to conduct stakeholder interviews, develop a survey instrument to assess such barriers and facilitators, pilot test the survey instrument, and conduct the survey among licensed pharmacists.

1R61AT010606-01
Adapting the HOPE Online Support Intervention to Increase MAT Uptake Among OUD Patients Translation of Research to Practice for the Treatment of Opioid Addiction Behavioral Research to Improve Medication-Based Treatment NCCIH UCLA YOUNG, SEAN Los Angeles, CA 2019
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: Behavioral Research to Improve MAT: Behavioral and Social Interventions to Improve Adherence to Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorders (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Optional)
NOFO Number: RFA-AT-19-006
Summary:

Online peer-led support interventions may increase medication-assisted therapy (MAT) initiation and sustainment among participants with opioid use disorder (OUD) because they can leverage peers to widely and rapidly scale changes in social norms (e.g., interest in using MAT) throughout people’s natural, real-world, virtual environments. Harnessing Online Peer Education (HOPE), an online peer support community intervention designed to reduce stigma and increase health behavior change, has effectively changed health behaviors among stigmatized populations, such as for HIV. This study will determine how to adapt the HOPE online support intervention to increase MAT initiation and sustainment among participants with OUD, assess the intervention’s effectiveness at increasing MAT use among OUD participants recruited online who are not using MAT, and use an implementation science approach to determine the relationship between social network dynamics (e.g., network size), topics discussed on the online community, and behavior change.

1R01DE029187-01
LIGHT and Lymphotoxin targeting for the treatment of chronic orofacial pain conditions Preclinical and Translational Research in Pain Management Discovery and Validation of Novel Targets for Safe and Effective Treatment of Pain NIDCR UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCIENCE CENTER AKOPIAN, ARMEN N San Antonio, TX 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:

Mismanagement of orofacial chronic pain, such as temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders (TMJD) and oral cancer, substantially contributes to opioid overuse; overdose-related deaths; and cardiovascular, renal, and neurological complications at epidemic proportions. The current paradigm implies that orofacial conditions could trigger maladaptation of the immune system and plasticity supporting persistent inflammation, which influences the development and maintenance of orofacial chronic pain. LIGHT (TNFSF14) and Lymphotoxin-beta (LT?), members of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily, provide a balance between protective immunity and immunopathology during chronic inflammatory diseases. This project will test the hypothesis that targeting LIGHT and LT? signaling could prevent the development and inhibit the maintenance of chronic pain produced by TMJD and oral cancer, via peripheral mechanisms involving plasticity of immune, stromal, and tumor cells, as well as sensory neurons. The proposed research is significant as it advances our understanding of mechanisms regulating the development and maintenance of orofacial pain and offers new therapeutic targets and an immunotherapeutic approach for preventing and blocking chronic pain during TMJD and oral cancer.

1PL1HD101059-01
HEAL Initiative: Antenatal Opioid Exposure Longitudinal Study Consortium Enhanced Outcomes for Infants and Children Exposed to Opioids Advancing Clinical Trials in Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal (ACT NOW) NICHD RESEARCH TRIANGLE INSTITUTE BANN, CARLA M Research Triangle Park, NC 2019
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: Antenatal Opioid Exposure Longitudinal Study Consortium (PL1 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NOFO Number: RFA-HD-19-025
Summary:

The incidence of Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS) in the United States has increased more than fivefold since 2004 to almost 7 per 1,000 hospital births. It is unknown how these effects are modulated by associated maternal, neonatal, and environmental factors and how the environment, maternal health, and parenting styles modify trajectories of brain connectivity and neurodevelopment. This study leverages the established infrastructure and longstanding collaborations of four clinical sites and the data coordinating center of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network to address current critical knowledge gaps in childhood brain structure and connectivity and on medical, developmental, and behavioral trajectories in early childhood. The study will analyze a well-characterized observational cohort using clinical and neuroimaging measures to improve understanding of the structural and functional sequelae resulting from prenatal opioid exposure and NOWS and their interactions with the maternal-infant dyad.

3UG1DA040316-04S3
A Foundation to Examine Reasons for Discontinuation for Buprenorphine Care in the Veterans Health Administration Translation of Research to Practice for the Treatment of Opioid Addiction Enhancing the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network to Address Opioids NIDA HENNEPIN HEALTHCARE RESEARCH INSTITUTE BART, GAVIN; JOSEPH, ANNE Minneapolis, MN 2018
NOFO Title: Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)
NOFO Number: PA-18-591
Summary:

This health care data mining study analyzes existing Veterans Health Administration data sets to examine patient and organizational characteristics associated with buprenorphine termination during outpatient OUD treatment. This project will generate data useful for predictive modeling on how to implement targeted approaches to improve retention in OUD treatment. An objective is to identify patient, provider and system targets to reduce unnecessary or inappropriate discontinuation of buprenorphine care. These analyses are critical for establishing initial constructs to evaluate reasons for treatment discontinuation based upon patient, provider and system factors in different health care settings.

1R43DA049684-01
Non-intrusive detection of temporary neurologic impairment by opioids Cross-Cutting Research Small Business Programs NIDA ZXEREX CORPORATION BESSERMAN, RICHARD Scottsdale, AZ 2019
NOFO Title: PHS 2018-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Required)
NOFO Number: PA-18-573
Summary:

With the exception of the Breathalyzer for alcohol, there is currently no available technology that can immediately identify neurologic impairment related to the use of licit or illicit drugs. The presently available methods for detecting opioids—which rely upon analysis of urine, blood, saliva, or hair—are expensive, time-consuming to implement, and can take days to deliver actionable information to meet the “fitness-for-duty” concerns of employers as well as the needs for immediate detection of drug use in the drug rehabilitation and public safety fields. This project intends to develop a non-invasive means of identifying temporary neurological impairment from prescription opioids using analysis of involuntary eye movements. The resultant biometric signature of opioid impairment will be incorporated into Zverex’s existing product library of oculomotor biosignatures, such as marijuana impairment and fatigue.

1UG3DA050173-01
Optimized Interventions to Prevent Opioid Use Disorder among Adolescents and Young Adults in the Emergency Department New Strategies to Prevent and Treat Opioid Addiction Preventing Opioid Use Disorder NIDA Univ of Michigan at Ann Arbor WALTON, MAUREEN A (contact); BONAR, ERIN ELIZABETH Ann Arbor, MI 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:

The emergency department (ED) is an ideal venue to reach and intervene with adolescents and young adults (ages 16-30) at risk for opioid misuse, particularly as young adults may disconnect from primary care when transitioning out of pediatric medicine. This study will evaluate the efficacy of interventions of varying type/intensity to prevent/reduce opioid misuse or opioid use disorder (OUD). The research leverages technology that is appealing to youth to facilitate intervention delivery by health coaches. In this study, adolescents and young adults in the ED screening positive for opioid use or misuse will be randomly assigned to one of four intervention conditions with outcomes measured at 4, 8, and 12 months. Technology-driven, scalable interventions delivered via health coach allow for real-time tailoring to the rapidly changing opioid epidemic, with the potential for a sustainable impact on preventing escalation of opioid misuse among adolescents and young adults.

3UG1DA013727-20S3
Medication treatment for Opioid-dependent expecting Mothers (MOMs): A Pragmatic Randomized Trial Comparing Extended-Release and Daily Buprenorphine Formulations (CTN-0080) Translation of Research to Practice for the Treatment of Opioid Addiction Enhancing the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network to Address Opioids NIDA MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA BRADY, KATHLEEN T.; CARPENTER, MATTHEW J Charleston, SC 2019
NOFO Title: Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)
NOFO Number: PA-18-591
Summary:

The growing opioid use epidemic in the U.S. has been associated with a significant increase in the prevalence of pregnant opioid-dependent women and neonatal abstinence syndrome, which is associated with adverse health effects for the infant and with costly hospitalizations. Maintenance with sublingual (SL) buprenorphine (BUP) is efficacious for opioid use disorder but has disadvantages that may be heightened in pregnant women, including the potential for poor adherence, treatment dropout, and negative maternal/fetal effects associated with daily BUP peak-trough cycles. Extended release (XR) formulations may address some of these disadvantages. The primary objective of CTN-0080 is to evaluate the impact of treating opioid use disorder in pregnant women (n = 300) with BUP-XR, compared to BUP-SL, on maternal-infant outcomes. Other objectives include testing a conceptual model of the mechanisms by which BUP-XR may improve maternal-infant outcomes, relative to BUP-SL; determining the economic value of BUP-XR, compared with BUP-SL, to treat OUD in pregnant women; and evaluating the impact of BUP-XR, relative to BUP-SL, on neurodevelopment when the infant/child is approximately 12 and 24 months of age. Ultimately, this study will help in increasing access to treatment as well as provide quality care for pregnant/postpartum women.