Crucial Research Funding: Unveiling Strategies to Combat Widespread and Deadly Addictions in the US

Addiction fundamentally involves a loss of control over actions, with individuals craving and seeking substances despite adverse consequences. The power of addiction lies in its ability to manipulate key brain regions involved in reward circuits, hijacking them to promote increased consumption and triggering negative emotions. In a news release published by EurekAlert!, research at Sanford Burnham Prebys seeks to understand and address these neurological mechanisms, offering hope for innovative treatments that could significantly impact the trajectory of addiction.

Addiction stands as both a pervasive and concealed public health crisis in the US, impacting tens of millions of individuals across various substances, including illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and opioids. Despite its widespread prevalence, a 2021 national survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration revealed that 94% of those aged 12 or older with a substance use disorder did not seek treatment, often due to denial, stigma, or a perceived lack of need.

Addressing this complex issue, Sanford Burnham Prebys researchers have secured federal grants totaling almost $25 million to propel their investigations and clinical trials aimed at understanding and treating addiction. The scope of their research encompasses tobacco, alcohol, and opioids.

According to the news release, smoking remains the leading cause of preventable deaths in the US. Current FDA-approved therapies for nicotine addiction have limited success, prompting researchers to explore alternatives. In collaboration with UC San Diego and Camino Pharma, Nicolas Cosford, PhD, received a $9 million NIH grant to advance the investigational drug SBP-9330 to phase 2 clinical trials. This drug's unique mechanism targets glutamate, a neurotransmitter linked to addiction. If approved, SBP-9330 could represent a groundbreaking treatment not only for nicotine addiction but potentially for other substances like cocaine, opioids, and methamphetamine.

Alcohol addiction, affecting 133 million Americans, is a dual-reinforcing challenge involving pleasure and negative emotional states. Researchers received a $4 million NIAAA grant to investigate small molecule compounds targeting the corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) system. By inhibiting stress-related pathways linked to alcohol addiction, this research aims to develop novel pharmacological treatments.

The surge in opioid overdoses also prompted intensive research. The NIH granted researchers $6.3 million to advance their drug candidate, SBI-810, targeting the neurotensin-1 receptor. This drug, which modulates dopamine release, shows promise in treating addiction with minimal side effects. Another $2.15 million NIH grant focuses on developing a brain-penetrating small molecule to target GPR88, a receptor inhibiting opioid receptor signaling. The goal is to diminish addiction-related behaviors and withdrawal symptoms.

These 3 widespread and potentially deadly dependencies take center stage in the US. Research funding enables researchers to unravel effective strategies for combating these ailments and preserving lives.

Reference

From tobacco to alcohol to opioids, Sanford Burnham Prebys researchers are pursuing novel leads and promising therapies to treat addiction. EurekAlert! Published November 17, 2023. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1008422