A team of scientists from Kyoto University has unveiled a new painkiller called Adriana. Unlike morphine and other opioids, Adriana works via a completely different mechanism and does not cause serious side effects such as addiction and respiratory depression.
The drug is based on a novel approach using norepinephrine, a substance released by the brain during life-threatening situations to temporarily suppress pain. For the first time in the world, the scientists were able to block the body's internal system that controls norepinephrine production, thereby enhancing its natural analgesic effects.
The researchers hope this new drug will help patients previously forced to use opioids live without pain and the fear of addiction.
The drug's effectiveness was demonstrated in a clinical trial at Kyoto University Hospital involving 20 patients undergoing lung cancer resection surgery. A larger study involving 400 patients is planned for the United States in 2026, and Adriana could be introduced to medical practice by 2028.
