Boffins develop potential new pain killer drug without side effects of morphine

Boffins at the University of Leicester, along with those at the University of Ferrara in Italy have developed a potential new pain killer drug that avoids many of the side effects of morphine, currently the 'gold standard' in pain reduction.

The drug, called UFP-101, was developed by a team of boffins led by Professor David Lambert at Leicester, in collaboration with Dr Girolamo Calo in Ferrara Italy.

"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," said Prof Lambert.

"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," he added.

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 since 1991.

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.

In his inaugural lecture he will describe the current place of opioids in the clinic and development of UFP-101.

The drug is to be discussed at a public lecture on 20th March. (ANI)

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