Seattle biotech inks licensing deal for opioid abuse treatments
Seattle-based CounterX Therapeutics has secured exclusive licensing agreements with the University of Washington and the University of Minnesota to develop treatments aimed at preventing opioid overdoses.
The agreement enables CounterX to advance its lead candidate, CTRX-101, into clinical trials expected to begin this year. CTRX-101 is an injectable antibody designed to bind to fentanyl, block its distribution to the brain, and reduce its lethal effects, and the company is also developing vaccine candidates intended to prevent relapse by blocking the euphoric effects of opioids. “This technology has the potential to fundamentally change how opioid overdoses are treated and addresses the ongoing public health crisis caused by illicit fentanyl,” said CEO Shawn Iadonato.
The collaboration highlights the role of university research and emerging biotech companies in the Seattle region in advancing new therapeutic approaches to urgent public health challenges.