UNE researcher Glenn W. Stevenson receives $43,000 NIH contract from a local biotech company to study addiction liability of novel opioid pain relievers

Glenn W. Stevenson, Ph.D., assistant professor at the University of New England in the Department of Psychology received an NIH contract from a local biotechnology company, Biousian Biosystems, Inc. to test their experimental opioid analgesic (pain relieving) drugs for addiction liability.

The contract enables Dr. Stevenson and his research team, including four undergraduate research assistants: Julio Dutra (Neuroscience, ‘12), Brooke Bell (Neuroscience, ‘13), Phillip Atherton (Nursing, ‘14), and Katherine Cone (Medical Biology, ‘15), to investigate the addiction liability of a series of candidate analgesic peptides provided by BBI using pre-clinical drug self-administration procedures in rats. The novel BBI compounds have a unique binding profile in the brain and activate not only mu opioid receptors (which bind morphine) but also activate delta opioid receptors. Recent data suggest that mixed-action delta/mu opioid drugs may have a better safety profile than currently available drugs like morphine or Oxycontin™. BBI is thus seeking to identify, develop and ultimately market a mixed-action delta/mu compound that is both effective in treating pain, but has limited or no addiction potential.

Dr. Stevenson’s research focuses on drug development, methods development, pain and addiction. Past projects included NIH-funded studies that assessed the interaction between osteoarthritis, exercise and drug treatment. Dr. Stevenson is also a member of the faculty of UNE's Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences.

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.