A research team at LSU Health New Orleans has developed a novel non-addictive, non-toxic painkiller that could transform pain management while addressing the opioid crisis. The new therapeutic candidate, designated SRP-001, targets acute, chronic, and neuropathic pain as well as migraine headaches without the organ toxicity or addiction potential that plagues current pain medications.
Dr. Nicolas Bazan, Boyd Professor and Director of the Neuroscience Center of Excellence at LSU Health New Orleans, led the team that discovered this innovative compound. Their findings were published this week in Nature's Scientific Reports, providing detailed insights into the drug's activity and mechanism of action.
"Our research offers hope for millions suffering from pain while also providing a pathway to counteract addiction," said Dr. Bazan. "By understanding and harnessing the brain's own mechanisms, we are addressing the opioid crisis by developing safer, more effective pain management solutions for people worldwide."
Clinical Progress and FDA Fast Track Designation
LSU Health New Orleans has exclusively licensed the patents for this family of non-opioid pain therapeutics to South Rampart Pharma to advance the compound toward market approval. With support from institutional, federal, and venture funding, SRP-001 has successfully completed Phase 1 human clinical trials, demonstrating both safety and efficacy.
In a significant development, the FDA has granted Fast Track designation for SRP-001 for acute pain treatment. This designation acknowledges the compound's potential to address a critical unmet medical need and will expedite its advancement through the regulatory process into more comprehensive clinical trials.
Dr. Hernan Bazan, CEO and co-founder of South Rampart Pharma, emphasized the importance of this research: "The quest for innovative pain solutions is critical, driven by the extensive prevalence of pain conditions affecting up to 27% of adults worldwide, including over 51 million adults in the U.S. Existing treatments such as opioids, acetaminophen, and NSAIDs pose risks of addiction and toxicity with overuse."
South Rampart Pharma plans to advance SRP-001 into Phase 2 randomized and controlled studies for both acute and neuropathic pain in the second half of 2024.
Scientific Mechanism and Significance
The newly published research provides in-depth insights into SRP-001's activity and mechanism while confirming gene expressions and signaling networks in the brain that are critical to managing and treating pain. The paper, titled "Transcriptomic signature, bioactivity and safety of a non-hepatotoxic analgesic generating AM404 in the midbrain PAG region," details how the compound works differently from existing pain medications.
Unlike current options that carry significant risks, SRP-001 appears to work through the brain's own pain management pathways without the hepatotoxicity associated with acetaminophen or the addiction potential of opioids. This dual advantage positions the compound as a potentially groundbreaking addition to pain management options.
Addressing a Critical Healthcare Need
Pain management represents one of the most significant challenges in healthcare today. The limitations of existing pain medications have contributed to both the opioid crisis and challenges in treating chronic pain effectively.
Dr. Steve Nelson, Chancellor of LSU Health New Orleans, noted: "Dr. Nicolas Bazan's exciting discovery demonstrates LSU Health's continual commitment to furthering fundamental biomedical research, translating medical innovations to the clinic, serving patients in Louisiana and around the globe, and supporting local entrepreneurs and economic development."
The development of SRP-001 comes at a critical time when safer alternatives to existing pain medications are urgently needed. With its non-addictive properties and lack of organ toxicity, this new compound could potentially help millions of patients worldwide who suffer from various pain conditions while reducing the risk of addiction and other adverse effects.
As SRP-001 moves into Phase 2 clinical trials later this year, the medical community will be watching closely to see if this promising compound can fulfill its potential as a safer, more effective option for pain management.
