Morphine News and Research

Latest Morphine News and Research

Researchers control itch without dulling morphine's pain-killing effects

Itching is one of the most prevalent side effects of powerful, pain-killing drugs like morphine, oxycodone and other opioids. The opiate-associated itch is so common that even women who get epidurals for labor pain often complain of itching. For many years, scientists have scratched their own heads about why drugs that so effectively suppress pain also induce itch.

14 Oct 2011

Ibandronate controls pain in prostate cancer patients with bone metastases

Many prostate cancer patients develop bone metastases, and controlling the pain these cause can be difficult. Now the first large randomised Phase III trial of a bisphosphonate drug in these patients has shown that a single dose of the drug is as good for pain relief as single dose radiotherapy, the standard treatment for bone metastases. Results of the trial were presented at the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress.

26 Sep 2011

The Journal of Pain publishes results from Butrans Transdermal System Phase 3 clinical study

Butrans (Buprenorphine) Transdermal System CIII 20 mcg/hour provided significantly lower "average pain over the last 24 hours" scores compared to Butrans 5 mcg/hour when used in opioid-experienced patients with moderate-to-severe chronic low back pain, according to a pivotal Phase 3 clinical study published in the online, August issue of The Journal of Pain.

26 Sep 2011

Study: Opioid drugs can increase risk of pneumonia in older adults

Opioids -- a class of medicines commonly given for pain -- were associated with a higher risk of pneumonia in a study of 3,061 adults, aged 65 to 94, e-published in advance of publication in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

23 Sep 2011

Loyola offers 15 minute emergency balloon angioplasty for heart attack patients

When 45-year-old Bobbie Jeske arrived at Loyola's ER with a massive, life-threatening heart attack, it took Dr. Fred Leya just 15 minutes to perform an emergency balloon angioplasty.

21 Sep 2011

UBC Graduate School of Journalism launches 'The Pain Project' site

In advance of a United Nations conference today on the global challenges of treating cancer and other diseases, the UBC Graduate School of Journalism has launched an ambitious multimedia site, The Pain Project, which documents one of the greatest challenges to treating chronic illnesses: severely constrained access to morphine.

20 Sep 2011

Drug overdose deaths surpass road traffic accident deaths in U.S.

According to newly released figures, drug-related deaths now outnumber traffic fatalities in the U.S., with the rise driven by an increase in prescription narcotic overdoses.

19 Sep 2011

New study aims to reduce number of pediatric pharmaceutical poisoning

Pharmaceutical poisoning remains a common childhood injury, despite years of concerted prevention efforts, such as improved safe guards on packaging. Over half a million children are exposed to pharmaceuticals each year. A new study soon to be published in The Journal of Pediatrics attempts to understand this growing problem to aid in the progress of reducing the number of childhood injuries due to pharmaceutical poisoning.

16 Sep 2011

Simple pain relievers a better alternative to antipsychotic medications for dementia patients

Many dementia patients are being treated with antipsychotic medications, but a new study shows that simple pain relievers may be a better alternative.

8 Sep 2011

Enrollment complete in DURECT's POSIDUR Phase III study for post-surgical pain

DURECT Corporation announced today the dosing of the last patient in the U.S. pivotal Phase III clinical study for POSIDUR known as BESST.

6 Sep 2011

New Pressurized Olfactory Device shows direct CNS effect of morphine

A simple new approach to nasal drug administration may allow morphine and other strong pain medications to be targeted directly to the central nervous system (CNS), reports an experimental study in the September issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society.

24 Aug 2011

Pacira second quarter total revenues increase to $3.6 million

Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an emerging specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2011, provided an update on the execution of its pre-commercial and launch strategies for EXPAREL, and updated its 2011 financial guidance.

11 Aug 2011

Positive results from two ADL5945 Phase 2 studies for opioid-induced constipation

Adolor Corporation today announced positive, statistically significant top line results from its two Phase 2 studies of ADL5945 in chronic non-cancer pain patients with opioid-induced constipation.

11 Aug 2011

New preclinical approach can guide more efficient drug development for brain-related conditions

The development of drugs for brain-related conditions is not an efficient process; only 8% of candidate drugs that enter clinical trials gain FDA approval. A key reason for this low success rate is a lack of preclinical tests that accurately predict drug efficacy and detect unwanted side effects.

9 Aug 2011

AstraZeneca recruits patients for KODIAC Phase III trial in opioid-induced constipation

AstraZeneca today announced that study centers across the U.S. are recruiting patients for a clinical study to examine whether an investigational drug is safe and effective in treating opioid-induced constipation.

2 Aug 2011

FDA approves Covidien's morphine sulfate oral solution for chronic pain in opioid-tolerant patients

Covidien, a leading global provider of healthcare products, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently granted approval to the company's Mallinckrodt business for morphine sulfate oral solution, used to relieve moderate to severe acute and chronic pain in opioid-tolerant patients. The solution will be available as a generic in 100 milligrams per 5 mL (20 milligrams per 1 mL).

1 Aug 2011

BDSI completes BEMA Buprenorphine Phase 3 trial on chronic pain

BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. announced today that the last patient has completed the randomized portion of its Phase 3 clinical trial assessing the efficacy and safety of BEMA Buprenorphine for the treatment of moderate to severe chronic pain, signifying completion of the trial.

25 Jul 2011

Study finds high prevalence of prescription pain medication addiction in chronic patients

A new study by Geisinger Health System researchers finds a high prevalence of prescription pain medication addiction among chronic pain patients.

22 Jul 2011

FDA approves Cephalon's REMS for FENTORA, ACTIQ

Cephalon, Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for FENTORA and ACTIQ.

22 Jul 2011

Dealing with chronic pain

For people with severe chronic pain like Kelly Young and Teresa Shaffer—both of whom have become patient advocates —coping with agony is a fact of life. Young suffers from rheumatoid arthritis while Shaffer's pain is linked primarily to another degenerative bone disease.

21 Jul 2011