Scientists Develop Nonaddictive Pain-Killing Drug

November 21, 2007 6:56 p.m. EST

Adelaide, Australia (AHN) - A new, nonaddictive pain-killing drug has reportedly been developed by pharmacologists working with one the world's leading neuroscientists.

Professor Paul Rolan and Dr. Mark Hutchinson of the University of Adelaide and world pain expert Dr. Linda Watkins of the University of Colorado have made a breakthrough in revealing how opioid drugs such as morphine affects the brain's immune cells known as glia.

While morphine deadens pain by acting at nerve synapses, it also activates glial cells that worsens the drug's side effects, such as drowsiness, tolerance and addiction.

The new drug, called AV411, blocks morphine's effects on glia but not on neurons, resulting in pain relief without the side effects of addiction.

"Our tests shows that by blocking morphine's effects on glial cells, it stops cravings for the drug," says Hutchinson.

AV411 is being developed by Avigen, a California biopharmaceutical company. Findings of pre-clinical trials at the Royal Adelaide Hospital are published this month in the international journal Science.

The research "helps pave the way toward developing new, potent, non-addictive medications," says Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse.