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As the opioid crisis continues to ravage American society, new directions in treatment have begun to emerge. One of these new methods is a drug therapy called pharmacogenomics. Pharmacogenomics refers to how genetic factors influence a person’s response to drugs and other treatments. The term “pharmacogenetics” was coined in 1990 by pharmacologist Dennis T. Ralston from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. In modern times, it has been expanded to encompass genomics, which is the study of gene sequences and how they function in organisms, as well as personalized medicine, which refers to a patient receiving targeted care based on their specific needs and characteristics. Drug therapies that include pharmacogenetic testing are known as “new drug candidates” (NDCs). These treatments aim to find potential new treatments that can alleviate the symptoms of opioid use disorders (OUD) while reducing adverse effects such as drowsiness or dizziness that result from taking opioids. If you are looking for any type of cure, you can use BetterHelp Promo Code. 

What is Pharmacogenetics?

The field of pharmacogenetics is interested in the influence that genetic factors play on the response to medicines. Pharmacogenetics is the study of how a person responds to medications and treatments, both positively and negatively. Pharmacogenetics is often used along with traditional prescribing medicine when individuals have harmful side effects that aren’t caused by the medicine itself. Genetics can play a large role in these side effects, and pharmacogenetics can be used to identify who is most likely to have these side effects.

How a New Drug Candidate Works

A new drug candidate is a drug being tested as a potential treatment for opioid use disorders. These types of drugs are often called “opioid blockers.” New drug candidates work by blocking the receptors that opioids bind to in the brain. This prevents the receptors from receiving signals that would normally cause feelings of pleasure. In clinical trials, researchers will often test a new drug candidate to see if it has an effect on human receptors. The researchers will then compare the drug candidate’s effect to the effect of a key opioid blocker. If the drug candidate is found to be more potent than the opioid blocker, then it might be a new treatment option.

The Role of Pharmacogenetics in the Fight Against Opioid Use Disorders

Pharmacogenetics has emerged as a new way to treat opioid use disorders (OUD). When pharmacogenomics was first adopted as a treatment for opioid-related conditions, scientists focused on individuals who have a genetic predisposition to develop opioid use disorders. However, results of these studies suggest that pharmacogenetics may also be effective in treating people who don’t have a genetic predisposition to develop OUD, but who have developed an opioid use disorder. One key factor in determining if a new drug candidate is effective in treating opioid use disorders is its potential to help individuals with different pharmacogenetic profiles. While traditional drug therapies have been developed to treat opioid use disorders, they have been largely ineffective due to the wide range of people who have been affected by OUD. As more is revealed about pharmacogenetics and its potential to treat opioid use disorders, researchers are searching for ways to tailor these treatments to best address the needs of their patients.

New Drug Candidates for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment

Renewed interest in the use of pharmacogenetics to treat opioid use disorders has led researchers to explore the use of NDCs. These types of drugs are designed to block opioid receptors at a molecular level, preventing the receptors from being used. One of the most promising new drug candidates for OUD treatment is ORODES, a treatment in development from Orexigen Therapeutics. ORODES works by blocking the receptors in the brain that opioids bind to. This prevents the brain from receiving signals that would normally cause feelings of pleasure.

Why is Pharmacogenetics Important?

Drug therapies that include pharmacogenetic testing have the potential to improve treatment outcomes and reduce adverse effects. By testing the genetic makeup of individuals, healthcare providers can more precisely tailor treatment to an individual’s needs. For example, an individual taking ORODES would receive a higher dose of the drug than someone who doesn’t have a genetic predisposition to develop OUD. You can opt for  Schizophrenia Test to see early signs of this disorder. 

Current State of New Drug Candidate Development for OUD Treatment

Pharmacogenetic testing has been implemented in clinical research trials as a way to identify potential patients who might benefit from a new drug candidate. These types of studies typically compare the effects of a new drug candidate against placebo, or a treatment that doesn’t include any drug. In some of these studies, researchers also randomly assign participants to receive a pharmacogenetic test or placebo, allowing researchers to see if the genetic testing influences outcomes. At this point, these types of studies have been conducted in a small number of clinical trials. Results from these studies suggest that pharmacogenetic testing could help to identify individuals who could potentially benefit from NDCs, but it is unclear how much of an impact this testing has on treatment outcomes.

Specific NDCS for OUD Treatment in Development

One way that researchers are searching for new treatments that include pharmacogenetics is by identifying genetic markers that might result in a particular response to a new drug candidate. Researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse have identified a specific genetic marker that may predict individuals who are more likely to respond well to a NDC designed to treat OUD.

Key Takeaway

New drug candidates are made when scientists discover how to alter existing drugs to block opioid receptors and stop the pleasurable feelings. Scientists are searching for new drug candidates that can be used to treat opioid use disorders that don’t have the severe side effects associated with traditional opioid therapies. These new drug candidates are tested in clinical trials to see if they have an effect on human receptors, then they are compared to opioid blockers that have been found to be effective. Pharmacogenetics is a relatively new field, but it has opened new doors for developing better treatments for opioid use disorders. Now that scientists have identified a specific genetic marker that may predict who is more likely to respond well to a NDC, researchers are working to find out how to best use this information to develop new treatments for OUD.