Limited Oral Abuse Potential of Cebranopadol, a Novel Potent Analgesic, Compared to Tramadol and Oxycodone in Recreational Opioid Users

Background

Moderate to severe acute and chronic pain remain an important public health issue in the United States, and opioid pain medications continue to be the most effective analgesics, but they carry a risk of misuse, abuse, and overdose. Studies estimate that between 3−19% of people who take prescription opioids for pain develop opioid use disorder. Novel options that provide an opioid level of pain control with an improved safety profile are needed. Cebranopadol is a first-in-class, dual nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide (NOP) receptor and μ−opioid peptide (MOP) receptor agonist analgesic (Dual-NMR analgesic) that derives its benefit partly from activation of the NOP receptor to provide effective pain relief and may be at reduced risk of negative effects typically associated with its MOP receptor agonism, including abuse potential, physical dependence, and respiratory depression.