BICX104 for Opioid Abuse

Most people getting treated for opioid dependence are not using prescription opioids (PO). According to this survey, in one out of every 12 people PO abuse increased annually between 2004 and 2007, and by one out of every 11 people PO abuse increased annually between 2003 and 2006. It needs to be noted that the increase to opioid abuse was from a small set of users and that the increasing number of PO abusers was primarily from the subset of people using prescription PO. More specifically, PO abuse increased 1.1% annually in 2004-2005 and 0.3% annually both in 2003-2004 and in 2003-2004.

A number of factors can be identified, including the need for effective treatment programs that minimize risk factors, enhance motivation and adherence and the use of more direct forms of supervision that address the core deficits present in opioid addiction.

The drug of choice for most abusers in the United States is the opiate fentanyl, or an analogue containing this molecule such as the combination product OxyContin. Methadone is generally used by users who are methadone-dependent. Although opiates were once widely used in the USA, their use declined following the introduction of naloxone (OxyContin was developed in the 1970s). It is estimated that between 40 and 80% of American opioid abusers are prescribed for [chronic pain](https://www.withpower.com/clinical-trials/chronic-pain), but the majority of these are currently prescribed for more acute pain. Methadone is often prescribed for the treatment of acute or mild pain.

Opioid abuse is a relatively recent phenomenon in the US and is a growing health concern. The increased availability of prescription opiates due to the growth of pain management and increased attention to prescribing medication for chronic pain in particular has created opportunities for abuse of prescription opiates. The opioid abuse epidemic is in full swing. This is especially prevalent to younger Caucasian males aged from 15 to 25.

There is no single common treatment for this serious condition; treatment must be provided by an experienced addiction specialist. If available, a detoxified, opioid-dependent patient can often be given subanine, but it should be carefully monitored in this patient population. Treatment may be continued for as long as the need exists, and the patient needs to remain in the program as long as it works. However, some patients may be admitted to a long-stay detoxification unit, and require longer intensive treatment in this unit until all the underlying health problems have been treated to enable safe discharge. Follow-up treatment may be needed to keep patients from repeating their old ways, and to prevent relapse even after successful detoxification.

The signs of opioid abuse are the same as with alcohol use. Symptoms are similar too: insomnia, dizziness, muscle cramps, dizziness, headache, and dry mouth. Severe drug seeking in opiate/opioid abusers may also be seen. Clinicians should be suspicious when faced with multiple complaints, including medical and psychological problems. These patients may be at higher risk for a co-occurrence of multiple substance use disorders. As of this time, there is no test to rule out opioid abuse in a clinical setting, and diagnosis can only be based on clinical history of recent drug use.

Bicx104 is well tolerated by healthy volunteers and has no detectable binding to opioid receptors in vivo, thus limiting possible toxicities in people. Based on existing data from animals, Bicx104 appears not to be an agonist or prodrug for opioid receptors.

Results from a recent clinical trial indicate that the C-terminal half fragment of Bicx104 may serve as a novel biomarker of alcohol abuse. The physiological function of Bicx104 remains to be explored.

Opioid dependence is highly heritable in families in which the probands are affected. In contrast to most other psychiatric disorders in which genetic factors account for up to 20% of cases, the heritability of opioid dependence is higher (approximately 68%).

A review of the most comprehensive dataset to date provided some support for the theory that sex/race/ethnicity/income disparities contribute to higher rates of [inpatient abuse among women of African-American, Mexican, and Caucasian-American backgrounds]and heroin use among African-Americans.

[Opioid abuse is a highly publicized problem in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported an escalation in this issue during the past decade. The current research is focused primarily on the pathophysiology of opioid use and overdose, identifying the different types of opioid abuse/misuse, examining the influence of prescription opioids and illicit use on the health and well-being of those exposed to them, and exploring the use of pharmacogenetics and pharmacotherapies to prevent and treat this problem.] Opioid use is one of the most serious health issues facing our society. There are significant long-term problems that result from unregulated and unmonitored opioid use.