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News AIKO Biotechnology, Inc. secures first Phase I SBIR grant PORTLAND, ME, September 15, 2007: AIKO Biotechnology, Inc. is pleased to announce its receipt of a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research Award from the Institutes of Health, National Institute of Drug Abuse. The project, entitled "novel neutral antagonist for the treatment of opioid-induced adverse effects," will allow AIKO to fully evaluate and prove the concept for its second lead compound to treat the side effects from pain reliever use, including GI dysfunction. Dr. Yancey-Wrona, AIKO's Chief Operating Officer, touted the importance of this award "not only for the funding it provides us to validate an important drug candidate for the treatment of debilitating GI dysfunction, but also because winning such a competitive award shows that our R&D plans pass muster at the national level and address a medical need of national importance." Opioids, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone and morphine, are the standard of care for treatment of moderate to severe pain, yet their use causes serious side effects, one of the most common being constipation suffered by up to 90% of people taking opioid medication. AIKO's compounds are opioid neutral antagonists that blunt the effects of the opioid without causing adverse effects of their own. By choosing compounds that are selective for the periphery, AIKO plans to develop a treatment for the peripheral side effects of opioid use, such as GI dysfunction, without inhibiting the central pain-relieving effects. The SBIR grant will allow AIKO to prove this concept with its second lead compound in a variety of rodent models, capitalizing on its unique expertise in opioid receptor pharmacology and experience with rodent models. Successful development could make the use of opioids safer and more tolerable and possibly expand the already large market for opioid use. About AIKO Contact | |
| AIKO Biotechnology, Inc. | 2 Union Street | Suite 501 | Portland, ME 04101 | |