Study Highlights Oliceridine’s Advantages Over Morphine

Overview of Oliceridine

A recent study indicates that oliceridine, an intravenous opioid drug, presents fewer adverse effects compared to morphine for alleviating postoperative pain. Developed by Trevena, oliceridine is a G-protein, μ-opioid receptor biased agonist used for managing severe acute pain.

Details of the ATHENA Study

The findings come from a study named ATHENA, published in The Journal of Pain Research, which evaluated the safety and effectiveness of oliceridine. In this study, 768 participants were administered oliceridine, with a mean age of 54.1 years. The majority of the participants were Caucasian females, and 94% were surgical patients.

Oliceridine’s Reduced Adverse Effects

Oliceridine is emerging as a promising alternative to traditional opioids due to its similar efficacy to morphine but with fewer adverse effects. It operates as a G-protein selective analgesic, exhibiting reduced recruitment of β-arrestin compared to morphine or fentanyl. The β-arrestin pathway is linked to opioid-related adverse events, particularly when activated alongside G-protein pathways. While the G-protein pathway provides pain relief, the β-arrestin pathway is associated with negative side effects. Unlike other opioids that activate both pathways, oliceridine is biased toward the G-protein signaling pathway.

Adverse Events Reported in the Study

The study reported that 64% of participants experienced adverse events. Specifically, 2% faced severe reactions, while 37% had mild and 25% moderate reactions to oliceridine. The most commonly reported side effect was nausea (31%), followed by constipation (11%). Notably, higher doses of oliceridine correlated with an increased incidence of adverse side effects.

Effectiveness of Oliceridine

The research demonstrated that oliceridine effectively induces a swift reduction in pain intensity. Importantly, there were no recorded deaths or cardiorespiratory events associated with its use.

About the Author

This article was written by Katrina F. Zafer, BSc.

References

Bergese, S.D., Brzezinski, M., Hammer, G.B., Beard, T.L., Pan, P.H., Mace, S.E., Berkowitz, R.D., Cochrane, K., Wase, L., Minkowitz, H.S., Habib, A.S. (2019). ATHENA: A Phase 3, Open-Label Study of the Safety and Effectiveness of Oliceridine (TRV130), A G-protein Selective Agonist At the μ-Opioid Receptor, in Patients with Moderate to Severe Acute Pain Requiring Parenteral Opioid Therapy. The Journal of Pain Research.

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