Tris Pharma's Opioid Alternative Shows Promise in Pain Management and Abuse Prevention

Tris Pharma has made significant strides in developing a potential solution to the ongoing opioid crisis with its novel pain relief drug, cebranopadol. Recent clinical trials have demonstrated the drug's efficacy in managing post-surgical pain while exhibiting a lower potential for abuse compared to traditional opioids.

Phase 3 Success in Post-Surgical Pain Management

Tris Pharma recently announced positive results from a phase 3 trial of cebranopadol in patients undergoing cosmetic abdominal surgery. The study met its primary endpoint, showing a statistically significant reduction in pain intensity over 44 hours post-procedure. Patients receiving a daily dose of 400 µg cebranopadol for two days experienced a 1.34 mean hourly difference in pain scale compared to placebo.

The drug's safety profile was reported to be favorable and comparable to placebo, with nausea being the most common side effect. No serious adverse events related to cebranopadol were observed during the trial.

Reduced Abuse Potential Demonstrated in Clinical Study

In a separate phase 1 study, Tris Pharma evaluated cebranopadol's abuse potential compared to the common opioid oxycodone. Adult non-dependent recreational opioid users were given single crushed doses of either cebranopadol, oxycodone, or placebo to snort. The cebranopadol dose was 1000 µg, 2.5 times higher than the intended therapeutic dose.

The study's primary endpoint was met, with cebranopadol showing a lower likeability score (67.3) compared to oxycodone (92.1). Notably, the likeability score for oral cebranopadol (69.2) was similar to its nasal version, while oxycodone showed higher likeability when snorted versus swallowed.

Unique Mechanism of Action

Cebranopadol's potential as an opioid alternative lies in its dual mechanism of action. The drug acts as both a nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide (NOP) receptor and µ-opioid peptide (MOP) receptor agonist. While it stimulates the MOP receptor similarly to opioids, its additional NOP receptor stimulation is believed to mitigate the addictive effects associated with traditional opioids.

Tris Pharma's Chief Business Officer, James Hackworth, Ph.D., explained that this unique mechanism allows for synergistic pain relief while preventing euphoria, dependence, and overdose risks typically associated with opioid use.

The development of cebranopadol represents a significant step forward in addressing the need for effective pain management solutions with reduced abuse potential. As the pharmaceutical industry continues to seek alternatives to combat the opioid crisis, Tris Pharma's progress with cebranopadol offers hope for both patients and healthcare providers in the field of pain management.