Funded Projects

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Project # Project Title Research Focus Area Research Program Administering IC Institution(s) Investigator(s) Location(s) Year Awarded
1UG3DA052282-01
NOP Receptor Antagonist for OUD Pharmacotherapy Novel Therapeutic Options for Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose Focusing Medication Development to Prevent and Treat Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose NIDA UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON Cunningham, Kathryn Galveston, TX 2020
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:

Medication-based treatment for opioid use disorder OUD aids in reducing mortality, opioid withdrawal, intake and opioid-seeking behaviors, however there is a clear need to increase the armamentarium of therapeutics for OUD. The ?non-classical? NOcicePtin receptor (NOPr) binds the endogenous neuropeptide nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) and is a promising target based on the evidence for its function in the regulation of the rewarding and motivational effects of opioids and alcohol. This study plans to assess the ability of the novel and selective NOPr antagonist BTRX-246040 to block oxycodone intake without abuse liability, and to suppress oxycodone withdrawal and relapse-like behaviors in rats. The study will also determine Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics interactions (DMPK) between oxycodone and BTRX-246040 and brain penetrability in male and female rats. If successful, these preclinical studies will be followed by a Phase 1 clinical trial in non-treatment seeking OUD participants. These investigations will advance the prospects of validating a novel medication for OUD.

1R24DA051975-01
Innovations in Recovery through Infrastructure Support (IRIS) Translation of Research to Practice for the Treatment of Opioid Addiction Recovery Research Networks NIDA UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE UNICK, GEORGE J Baltimore, MD 2020
NOFO Title: Research Networks for the Study of Recovery Support Services for Persons Treated with Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (R24 Clinical Trial Optional)
NOFO Number: RFA-DA-20-014
Summary:

The opioid epidemic in the United States is associated with alarming rates of overdose and overdose deaths. Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), in combination with psychosocial intervention, is the most effective treatment for OUD; however, many individuals are unable to access treatment, are not sufficiently retained in treatment, or experience barriers that prohibit their participation in treatment. A multipronged approach is needed that includes 1) development of integrated networks of care, both formal and informal, to better address the needs of individuals with OUDs and 2) measures of the efficacy of these integrated networks for addressing the needs of individuals with OUD. This project will build a learning collaborative to address gaps in knowledge about the delivery, sustainability, and assessment of recovery service for individuals on MAT. The collaborative will foster collaboration and communication between stakeholders and with the larger community of research and providers interested in improving the delivery of OUD recovery support services. This community-academic partnership will address the lack of evidence regarding effective recovery support services.

3U44NS115692-01S1
Development and Optimization of MNK Inhibitors for the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain Preclinical and Translational Research in Pain Management Discovery and Validation of Novel Targets for Safe and Effective Treatment of Pain NINDS 4E THERAPEUTICS INC. SAHN, JAMES JEFFREY Austin, TX 2020
NOFO Title: Notice of Special Interest for HEAL Initiative: Request for Administrative Supplements to Existing Grants for Identification and Validation of New Pain and Opioid Use Disorder Targets within the Understudied Druggable Genome
NOFO Number: NOT-TR-20-008
Summary:

There is an urgent unmet need for more efficacious analgesics that act via a non-opioid pathway. Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase-interacting kinase 2 (MNK2) is an enzyme that has been implicated in pain signaling, and there is compelling evidence that inhibiting MNK2 has significant pain-reducing effects with few side-effects. Since MNK2 selective inhibitors have not yet been identified, selective inhibition of MNK2 with a small molecule has not been possible. The development of such compounds will enable studies that will illuminate key differences between MNK2 and MNK1. More importantly, from a therapeutic standpoint, highly selective MNK2 inhibitors may prove to have enhanced efficacy and a more favorable side-effect profile than molecules that inhibit both MNK2 and MNK1. This project will support the design and synthesis of at least one MNK2 inhibitor, with >100-fold selectivity over MNK1, that may be developed into a lead compound for treating neuropathic pain.

3R61AT010799-01S2
Understanding How Peers Can Shift Stigma to Retain Low-Income, Minority Individuals in Opioid Treatment Translation of Research to Practice for the Treatment of Opioid Addiction Behavioral Research to Improve Medication-Based Treatment NCCIH UNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK MAGIDSON, JESSICA F College Park, MD 2020
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) regarding the Availability of Administrative Supplements to Support Strategies to Reduce Stigma in Pain Management and Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and Treatment
NOFO Number: NOT-OD-20-101
Summary:

Stigma is a key barrier to retention in medication-based treatment for opioid use disorder, particularly among low-income, minority individuals. Stigma that exists at multiple levels contributes to poor retention in care, including internalized and anticipated stigma at the individual level, as well as enacted stigma at the health care provider- and community levels. There is an urgent need to develop and evaluate innovative strategies to reduce stigma at these multiple levels among low-income, racial/ethnic minority individuals to improve engagement in care. One of the most promising strategies to reduce multiple intersecting stigmas simultaneously and improve engagement in care for low-income, minority individuals is through the use of peer recovery coaches (PRCs). PRCs, individuals who have gone through the recovery process themselves and are typically state-certified, have been shown to be more acceptable for engaging and retaining low-income, racial/ethnic minority patients in treatment compared to other health workers. However, scarce research has formally evaluated the effects of PRCs on stigma. This study will test how a PRC model can reduce multiple intersecting stigmas among low-income, racial/ethnic minority individuals to improve retention in methadone treatment.

3U19AR076725-01S1
HEALing LB3P: Profiling Biomechanical, Biological and Behavioral phenotypes Clinical Research in Pain Management Back Pain Consortium Research Program NIAMS UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH SOWA, GWENDOLYN A Pittsburgh, PA 2020
NOFO Title: Notice of Special Interest to Encourage Eligible NIH HEAL Initiative Awardees to Apply for Administrative Supplements to Promote Training in Clinical Research on Pain (Admin Supp ? Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NOFO Number: NOT-NS-20-044
Summary:

Multiple factors, including inflammation contribute to chronic low back pain. Inflammation is mediated by numerous genes. The study aims to determine how variations in the genes encoding key inflammatory mediators impact the response of patients with chronic low back pain to physical therapy treatment. Gene variations that are known to be linked to inflammation and pain will be tested against their possible association on physical therapy treatment outcomes, to inform clinical decisions on optimal care. This study will support training in clinical research on pain within the context of the HEAL BACPAC Mechanistic Research Center. It will provide resources for a research project relevant to the parent grant and the career development of an individual in the field of pain research. The ability to identify a set of genetic variations and classify patients according to treatment response might enable use of DNA testing as a screening tool for targeted treatments for patients with CLBP.