An experimental drug can boost the effectiveness of naloxone The drug makes naloxone 7.6 times more effective at inhibiting the opioid response that triggers potentially fatal overdoses It works by helping naloxone remain potent for longer periods in the body MONDAY, July 8, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- An experimental drug can supercharge the effects of the lifesaving overdose drug naloxone, potentially improving its effectiveness against new and more powerful opioids like , a new study finds. The drug, dubbed compound 368, makes naloxone (Narcan) 7.
6 times more effective at inhibiting the opioid response that causes overdose, researchers report in the July 3 issue of the journal . “Naloxone is a lifesaver, but it’s not a miracle drug; it has limitations,” said co-senior study author , a professor of anesthesiology at Washington University in St. Louis.
“Many people who overdose on opioids need more than one dose of naloxone before they are out of danger,” Majumdar explained in a university news release. “This study is a proof of concept that we can make naloxone work better -- last longer and be more potent -- by giving it in combination with a molecule that influences the responses of the opioid receptor.” Opioids like oxycodone and fentanyl work by activating receptors in the brain.
These receptors reduce the perception of pain and induce euphoria, but they also slow down breathing -- the side effect that makes overdose deadly. Naloxone works by blocking the abi.
