A new report shows Washington is one of the top 10 states in the country - when it comes to the number of patients admitted to emergency rooms each year - for opioid overdose.
To counter this trend, a Seattle drug company is developing a first of-its kind painkiller that is not addictive.
"We are developing a drug that's non-opioid treatment for chronic pain," said Shawn Iadonato, the CEO of the Seattle-based biotech firm Kineta.
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Iadonato says the drug is meant to be strong enough to relieve chronic pain but won't have addictive qualities, like morphine or Oxycontin.
“It doesn’t have the same effects on the brain. It actually blocks pain signaling the site of the nerve injury wherever nerve is injured in the system,” Iadonato said.
The drug is derived from nature -- specifically venom from cone-shaped snails found in the Caribbean.
The company's goal is to develop this drug into a once weekly injectable formulation that patients can administer themselves.
But scientists won't know how well this drug will work - until human trials begin next year.
But with the opioid epidemic on the rise, "KCP-400" offers hope for those looking for alternatives to ease chronic pain.
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