Potential New Pain Killer Developed

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Potential New Pain Killer Developed

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070316072620.htm

A potential new pain-killing drug that avoids many side effects of

other strong pain killing drugs has been developed by medical

scientists at the University of Leicester and Ferrara in Italy.

Professor Lambert, who has been involved in the development

the drug in collaboration with Dr Girolamo Calo in Ferrara Italy,

believes the new drug -- called UFP-101 - avoids many of the side

effects of morphine, currently the 'gold standard' in pain reduction.

He said: " In a 2005 survey for the British Pain Society 975 people

were questioned about pain. Twenty one percent experienced pain

every day or most days equating to ~10million across the whole UK.

" Morphine produces its clinical effects by interaction with opioid

receptors. In addition to acting as a pain killer this drug produces

a number of unwanted side effects of importance from a clinical

(e.g., depression of breathing, constipation and tolerance) and

social (addiction) viewpoints.

" Clearly there is a place for new morphine like drugs without these

side effects and the University of Leicester Anaesthesia Division

has been at the forefront of such preclinical research. "

Since appointment in 1991 as a lecturer Professor Lambert has been

working on opioids and opioid receptors with particular emphasis on

understanding receptor function and the design and evaluation of new

drugs to target these receptors.

In collaboration with Dr Girolamo Calo his laboratory has

characterised a prototype analgesic (pain killer), acting at a new

opioid receptor, with a much reduced side effect profile.