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A single-dose antidote may help prevent fentanyl overdoses
A newly developed single-dose opioid antidote lasts several days, a study in mice shows. If the results can be duplicated in humans, the treatment may one day help prevent overdoses from deadly drugs like fentanyl.
Normally, a dose of the opioid antidote naloxone passes through a person's body in about 30 minutes — far too quickly to fully counteract the effects of such synthetic opioids as fentanyl and carfentanil (SN Online: 5/1/18). These drugs, tens to thousands of times stronger than morphine, can linger in a person's system for hours or even days (SN: 6/10/17, p. 22). That requires multiple doses of an antidote to prevent someone from overdosing.
So researchers developed a new naloxone-based antidote to outlast synthetic opioids by creating nanoparticles in which naloxone molecules are tangled up with a biodegradable polymer called polylactic acid. Water and enzymes in the body slowly break down these nanosized tangles, gradually releasing naloxone.
In mice, the new nanoparticle delivery system counteracted the pain-relieving effects of morphine for up to 96 hours after administering a single dose of the antidote, according to research being presented March 31 at the American Chemical Society meeting in Orlando, Fla.
"We're now going to start moving onto fentanyl and carfentanil" and ramping up opioid doses to test whether the antidote can prevent a mouse from overdosing, says Saadyah Averick, a biomaterials researcher at the Allegheny Health Network Research Institute in Pittsburgh.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by PartTimeZombie on Thursday April 04 2019, @10:54PM (9 children)
But not better for the massively wealthy drug companies.
The good thing about this discovery is that they can sell two drugs to junkies, instead of one.
If they play their cards right, they can even create a whole bunch of new junkies.
Profit!
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Friday April 05 2019, @12:30AM (8 children)
Heh, seems like the PLA nanoparticles aren't that hard to prepare [springer.com] (I can see two pages, the second one containing the method in enough details).
Infusing them with fentanyl for a "hours long safe high" may be an attractive proposition for illicit drug makers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Friday April 05 2019, @01:18AM (4 children)
Good lord! You have a devious mind.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Friday April 05 2019, @02:22AM (2 children)
Meh, I'm too old now to pursue the world domination, but... some side jobs now and then...
Are you interested in a joint venture?
(large grin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Friday April 05 2019, @02:50AM (1 child)
I'm sure I don't know what you mean sir!
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Friday April 05 2019, @02:57AM
I'm not sure I know what I mean.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday April 05 2019, @02:41PM
c0lo does not have a devious enough mind. Otherwise he wouldn't have said "illicit drug makers" and discriminated against our poor struggling prescription pharmaceutical corporations. They should also be allowed to make and profit from this. Keep the illicit drug makers out of it.
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 05 2019, @10:15AM
You'd be better off going for the straight up heroin. Junkies don't like fentanyl, they buy it because they don't have a choice. It's a much less pleasant high than heroin AND more dangerous. Trying to sell them something new that's what they explicitly don't want? Good luck.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday April 05 2019, @02:38PM
FTFY . . . for prescription drug makers.
To transfer files: right-click on file, pick Copy. Unplug mouse, plug mouse into other computer. Right-click, paste.
(Score: 2) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Friday April 05 2019, @04:15PM
That one is already covered I think [medlineplus.gov].
This sig for rent.