AphioTx is developing a treatment for opioid withdrawal to help people stop the cycle of opioid use. The company will be launching phase 2 clinical trials this year.
CALGARY, AB – January 24, 2022: AphioTx, a clinical research company from the University of Calgary developing a potential treatment for opioid withdrawal, is pleased to announce its formal launch today. The company is developing a first-in class non-opioid treatment using probenecid, an oral Health Canada and FDA approved treatment for gout that AphioTx recently received patent approval for in both the United States and Australia. Phase two clinical trials will be launching this year.
Opioids have the highest relapse rate of any other drug addiction at 91 per cent, second only to alcohol. The debilitating withdrawal symptoms associated affect all people on chronic opioids, not just those who misuse these medications. While many may have initially been prescribed opioid medications to manage pain, some continue to use these powerful drugs to avoid symptoms of withdrawal. This could potentially lead to illicit opioids, increasing the risk of overdose. Interventions that reduce withdrawal can break the cycle of opioid use and save lives.
“We are thrilled to be launching our company and are eager to help tackle the ongoing opioid crisis,” said Dr. Tuan Trang, Chief Executive Officer at AphioTx. “The treatment our team is developing has shown huge potential in reducing opioid withdrawal symptoms in initial trials. We will be initiating phase 2 clinical trials this year to demonstrate the potential in humans.”
Throughout the pandemic, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reported opioid overdose-related deaths increased by 27 per cent in the United States. In Canada, a study from the University of Waterloo reported overdose numbers have increased by 597 per cent in just a 17-year period and continue to reach startling heights, prompting multiple calls to action from communities and advocacy groups across the country. A safe treatment option for withdrawal symptoms like the one AphioTx is developing is filling a much-needed gap in the race to slow the opioid crisis.
“The science coming out of AphioTx and the Hotchkiss Brain Institute at the University of Calgary is showing potential to become an important opportunity globally,” said Dr. Lawrence Korngut, Chief Medical Officer at AphioTx. “We are eager for the important impact this potential treatment can have on the community globally.”
To learn more, visit the company website at www.aphiotx.com.
AphioTx is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company based in Calgary, AB that is tackling the global opioid crisis by developing a promising treatment for opioid withdrawal symptoms.
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