EpiVario Awarded SBIR Grant From NIH to Develop Treatments for Opioid Use Disorder

EpiVario to receive $275,000 in funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- EpiVario, Inc., a biotech company pioneering novel therapeutics for memory-related psychiatric disorders, today announced it has been awarded a small business innovation research (SBIR) grant of $275,000 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). This grant will advance the company's research towards developing a novel epigenetic regulator as a treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD).

Opioid use disorder is characterized by the chronic use of opioids leading to clinically significant distress or impairment. Symptoms include an overpowering desire to use opioids, increased tolerance, and withdrawal syndrome upon discontinuation. OUD affects over 16 million people worldwide and over 2.1 million in the United States.  Current treatments are largely limited to psychotherapy and substitution with less addictive forms of opioids, which often result in relapse.

EpiVario has discovered an epigenetic approach to treating OUD by regulating neuronal plasticity to reduce unwanted opioid-associated memories. The metabolic enzyme acetyl CoA synthetase-2 (ACSS2) produces acetyl-CoA, which fuels epigenetic modifications necessary for forming opioid-related memories. By targeting this pathway, EpiVario is developing an acute treatment designed to diminish triggered responses, promoting abstinence and preventing relapse in patients with OUD.

This SBIR Phase I grant is the second grant that EpiVario has received this year from NIDA. Previously, the company was awarded a $295,000 SBIR grant to develop ACSS2 inhibitors as treatments for cocaine use disorder (CUD). The success of these studies will enable EpiVario to advance towards filing an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the FDA, potentially expanding treatment options for substance use disorders.

"This award marks a significant milestone for both our company and the millions affected by OUD worldwide," said Thomas Kim, President & CEO of EpiVario. "For these patients and their families, it is concerning to have limited options, but it is more disheartening to know that there is so little research devoted to new cures. With our first-in-class, acute treatment, we aim to provide OUD patients a viable path to cessation and reduce the risk of relapse. We are committed to making a meaningful difference in the fight against opioid addiction."

ABOUT EPIVARIO

EpiVario is pioneering novel epigenetic therapeutics for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. Spun out of the Epigenetics Institute of The University of Pennsylvania, the company is developing pharmacotherapeutics that target a newly discovered epigenetic process in long-term memory formation. By targeting this activity to modulate stress and drug-related memories, EpiVario is establishing a novel, differentiated, and promising approach to address substance use disorders and PTSD.

For further information, please visit epivario.com. Follow EpiVario on Twitter at @EpiVario and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/epivario

CONTACT:  [email protected]

SOURCE EpiVario Inc.