Elysium Therapeutics' Investor Webcast Highlights "Fentanyl Rebound" as Key Challenge in Reducing Opioid Overdose Hospitalizations and Deaths

Elysium's Synthetic Opioid Overdose Prevention and Reversal (SOOPR™) technology designed specifically to combat oral fentanyl overdose

, /PRNewswire/ -- Elysium Therapeutics, an emerging biopharmaceutical company developing treatments specifically designed to rescue and reverse overdoses caused by oral opioids, including synthetic opioids like fentanyl, recently hosted a webcast to educate investors and pharmaceutical leaders on the pressing need to develop overdose rescue therapies designed specifically for synthetic opioids, like fentanyl. 

Entitled, "Innovating Solutions to Combat Fentanyl Rebound" and led by Greg Sturmer, CEO, the presentation noted that short-acting opioid antagonists like Narcan^® and Opvee^® are frequently ineffective in the management of synthetic opioid overdoses¹, with 20 to 45% of overdose victims initially rescued with naloxone experiencing a re-narcotization event. 

Sturmer commented: "When fentanyl is taken orally, individuals can face a danger zone, a period of respiratory depression that can last six to eight hours, which far outlasts the window provided by currently available rescue agents that only last, at most, 30 minutes. The result is nearly half of those initially given a dose of today's rescue medications experience a rebound or re-narcotization event, which can lead to a hypoxic brain injury, cardiovascular toxicity or death."

To address this critical shortcoming, Elysium designed its Synthetic Opioid Overdose Prevention and Reversal (SOOPR™) technology to be both faster acting and with the potential to offer overdose protection out to approximately 24-hours. Additionally, Elysium designed SOOPR with an intramuscular route of administration, which grants more reliable dosing, in comparison to intranasal administration, which can lead to partial and uncertain dosing in high stress settings.

Sturmer added: "SOOPR was designed specifically for synthetic opioids, which are now the number one killer of adults aged 18 to 45 in the U.S. The need for a rapid-acting, long-duration reversal agent, such as SOOPR, is extreme given its potential to reduce the likelihood of hypoxic brain injury, cardiovascular events, re-narcotization, and death. Recognizing this opportunity, Elysium is planning to rapidly advance the SOOPR clinical program along a timeline that could enable the technology to reach the market in the next two to three years."

About SOOPR™ (Synthetic Opioid Overdose Prevention and Rescue)

SOOPR (Synthetic Opioid Overdose Prevention and Reversal) is a rapid-onset, long-acting rescue agent specifically designed to address overdose from synthetic opioids, including oral fentanyl. SOOPR utilizes a proprietary long-acting naloxone reversal formulation with faster onset kinetics versus Narcan^® delivered via long-acting injection (LAI) technology. The technology is designed to rapidly restore respiration and provide 18 – 24 hours of effective opioid blockade to minimize the risk of re-narcotization, while also providing protection from same-day re-use of opioids. SOOPR has been endorsed by first responders and OUD treatment professionals as the effective solution urgently needed to address the global opioid overdose epidemic.

About Elysium Therapeutics

Elysium is an emerging biopharmaceutical company developing treatments specifically designed to rescue and reverse overdoses caused by oral synthetic opioids, including fentanyl. Elysium is working to establish new standards of safety in the opioid industry by developing SMART™ (Safer Medicines Alleviate Risks and Trauma) products, first- and best-in-class medicines that address the limitations and dangers associated with opioids and overdose rescue agents to reduce suffering from opioid-use disorder, opioid overdose, and acute pain. Elysium's lead technology, SOOPR™ (Synthetic Opioid Overdose Prevention and Reversal), is a long-acting opioid antagonist specifically designed to address oral synthetic opioid, including fentanyl, overdose. Tens of thousands of unnecessary overdose deaths each year exemplifies the critical shortcomings of currently available rescue agents, including naloxone and nalmefene. In addition, Elysium is developing oral-overdose protected (O2P™) hydrocodone for the treatment of moderate-to-severe acute pain. For more information, please visit https://www.elysiumrx.com.

¹ Rachael Rzasa Lynn and JL Galinkin Ther Adv Drug Saf 2018, Vol. 9(1) 63–88.

SOURCE Elysium Therapeutics