University of Arizona, Oklahoma State University Announce Addiction Research Partnership

The University of Arizona (U of A) and Oklahoma State University (OSU) have announced that their respective medical centers are entering into a partnership to address the opioid crisis and chronic pain through research, treatment, and education initiatives.

The universities will share resources from 3 centers:

• U of A Health Sciences Comprehensive Pain and Addiction Center (CPAC), which comprises scientists with expertise in the neurobiology of chronic pain and addiction.
• Center for Excellence in Addiction Studies (CEAS), a National Institute on Drug Abuse-funded program at UArizona Health Sciences that will provide expertise in genetic targeting, the use of neuroanalytical methods, data analysis, and behavioral assessments.
• OSU Center for Health Sciences’ National Center for Wellness & Recovery (NCWR), which has access to approximately 18,000 novel research molecules from Purdue Pharma that are designed to target neuronal mechanisms associated with chronic pain and addiction. NCWR also has between 40,000 and 50,000 biosamples from consenting patients enrolled in Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials involving opioids and nonopioids, as well as additional samples from patients suffering from addiction or are in recovery and are undergoing treatment at NCWR facilities.

The goals of the 3 research centers align with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) initiative, combatting the opioid crisis by reducing acute and chronic pain through the use of opioid alternatives, promoting recovery and relapse prevention, and the development rapidly acting medications for opioid overdose.

“The most important beneficiaries of this partnership will be millions of people who suffer from pain or are at risk of addiction and their families. Given the extreme need to address the opioid crisis, it’s a strategic priority,” U of A President Robert C. Robbins, MD, said in a news release. “We believe that by tackling chronic pain and opioid use disorder together, the University of Arizona and OSU will lead us to discovery of novel non-addictive treatments for those with chronic pain while discovering new ways to treat substance use disorder.”

Reference

University of Arizona, Oklahoma State University announce transformative addiction research partnership. News release. University of Arizona Health Sciences. April 29, 2022. Accessed May 4, 2022.