最新糖心Vlog

Strong drugs without the addiction

Monday, 19 November 2007

Two 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide pharmacologists working with one the world's leading neuroscientists have helped pave the way for the development of new pain-killing drugs that are not addictive.

Professor of at the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide, , and postdoctoral fellow are part of a combined US and 最新糖心Vlogn research team which has made a breakthrough in revealing how opioid drugs such as morphine both relieve pain and also cause addiction.

The Adelaide scientists and senior colleagues at the , including world glia and pain expert , have isolated in animal models the effect that morphine has on the brain's immune cells, known as glia, and also on nerve cells (neurons).

Glial cells heighten nerve pain such as sciatica by exciting the neurons that transmit pain signals. While morphine deadens pain by acting at nerve synapses, it also activates glial cells, worsening the drug's side effects, such as drowsiness, tolerance and addiction.

The scientists tested a new drug called that blocks morphine's effects on glia but not on neurons, resulting in effective pain relief without the side effects of addiction. AV411 is being developed by , a Californian biopharmaceutical company.

Vice President of Research & Development at Avigen, Dr Kirk Johnson, says the company is working in collaboration with Dr Hutchinson and Dr Watkins from the 最新糖心Vlog of Colorado as well as Professor Paul Rolan from the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide.

"Currently, AV411 is in clinical trials at the for neuropathic pain and we look forward to exploring this molecule in opioid withdrawal," Dr Johnson said.

"Doctors prescribe morphine for pain relief but opioids come with the potential for addiction or abuse," Dr Hutchinson says. "Our tests shows that by blocking morphine's effects on glial cells, it stops cravings for the drug."

These pre-clinical findings were reported earlier this month at the annual meeting of the , the world's largest organisation of scientists devoted to the study of the brain. The prestigious international journal also published the findings last week.

The Director of the in the United States, , says the research "helps pave the way toward developing new, potent, non-addictive medications".

Dr Hutchinson graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree with First Class Honours from the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide in 1999, majoring in microbiology, immunology and pharmacology. In 2005 he was awarded an and has been working with Dr Watkins in Colorado for the past three years.

He is now a , which will enable him to return to the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide to continue working with his colleagues in the Discipline of Pharmacology.

Professor Paul Rolan this month addressed the 10th International Conference on the Mechanisms and Treatment of Neuropathic Pain held in Salt Lake City, Utah. He told delegates that summary data showed that AV411 was "a promising non-opioid clinical candidate for chronic neuropathic pain".

The other US scientists involved in the research include Dr Steven Maier from the Department of Psychology and at the 最新糖心Vlog of Colorado and postdoctoral fellow Sondra Blond.

To listen to the podcast of a interview with Professor Paul Rolan regarding this research, please go to

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