A new drug from Japan offers powerful pain relief — and it’s already showing promise in clinical trials.
A groundbreaking new drug developed in Japan may soon revolutionize the way we treat severe pain—without the risks of addiction or overdose tied to opioids. Named ADRIANA, the drug targets the body’s adrenoceptors to deliver powerful pain relief through an entirely different mechanism than morphine or fentanyl. Developed by researchers at Kyoto University, ADRIANA has shown highly promising results in early clinical trials, including post-surgical patients, and is now preparing for large-scale testing in the U.S. Unlike opioids, it works by selectively blocking the α2B-adrenoceptor, which boosts natural pain relief without destabilizing the cardiovascular system.
If successful, ADRIANA could offer a critical alternative to opioids in clinical settings, potentially reducing dependence on drugs that have contributed to the U.S. opioid crisis, which claimed over 80,000 lives in 2023 alone. Kyoto University scientists, working with BTB Therapeutics, hope to test ADRIANA across a range of pain types and make it broadly accessible. As the first non-opioid analgesic of its kind, ADRIANA represents a major leap in pain management—and a ray of hope in the global fight against opioid addiction and overdose.
Source: Toyo moto, M., Kurihara, T., Nakagawa, T. et al. (2025). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, “Discovery and development of an oral analgesic targeting the α2B adrenoceptor.