Pre-IND Development of PPL-103: A Potent Opioid Analgesic That is Safe, Non-Addicting, and Free of Other Dangerous Opioid Side Effects

Abstract

Background: Mu opioid receptor agonists are the gold standard for opioid pain relief, however, they exhibit grave side effects, including abuse and addiction liability, constipation, respiratory depression, and death from overdose. Kappa agonists are dysphoric and thus not clinically useful. Phoenix is developing PPL-103: a kappa and mu partial agonist with potent analgesic activity and little to no abuse liability, constipation or respiratory depression. PPL-103 is efficacious in several acute and chronic pain models, is not self-administered in rats but is clearly not dysphoric like other kappa agonists, as determined by a conditioned place preference assay. PPL-103 substitutes for morphine and blocks morphine withdrawal, suggesting that it could be given to morphine-naive or morphine-dependent patients without inducing withdrawal. Objective: Through this project we propose to advance PPL-103 for safe, potent, non-addicting pain relief by validating the analgesic activity and non-addicting nature in non-human primates, producing of GLP material, completing the necessary package of pre-clinical testing and filing an IND with the FDA, to fully preparing for initiation of first-in-man clinical trials. Specific aim #1: GLP scale-up and manufacturing of PPL-103 Specific aim #2: Complete preclinical efficacy studies in non-human primates. Specific aim #3: Complete preclinical in vitro and in vivo GLP studies of PPL-103 Specific Aim #4: Filing an IND and preparation for Phase I human clinical trials. Study Design: In Aim 1, we will optimize and scale up the manufacture of PPL-103 to produce sufficient GLP grade material to support Aims 2 and 3. In Aim 2 we will validate PPL-103 as being potent, safe, and non-addicting in non-human primate models. In Aim 3 perform genetic toxicology, safety pharmacology, general toxicology, reproductive and developmental toxicology, pharmacokinetics.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2020
Accession Number
AD1126395

Entities

People

  • Lawrence Toll

Organizations

  • Florida Atlantic University
  • Wake Forest University

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Addiction
  • Analgesia
  • Biomedical Research
  • Clinical Trials
  • Contract Administration
  • Contracts
  • Drug Abuse
  • Gantt Charts
  • Health Services
  • Manufacturing
  • Maryland
  • Materials
  • Monkeys
  • Morphine
  • Opioids
  • Pain
  • Pain Management
  • Pharmacology
  • Primates
  • Rhesus Monkeys
  • Side Effects
  • Therapy
  • Toxicology
  • Universities

Fields of Study

  • Medicine

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  • Biotechnology
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