Oxytocin Compositions for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Treatment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current treatments for neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) are inefficient and costly, often requiring slow withdrawal processes with opioids or sedative agents, and there is a lack of effective and comprehensive management strategies, leading to significant healthcare burdens and unmet needs in treating the syndrome's symptoms.

Innovation Solution

A pharmaceutical composition containing oxytocin, which acts as a positive allosteric modulator of the µ-opioid receptor, is administered intranasally or through other routes to provide effective and efficient treatment for NAS without the need for slow weaning processes, potentially reducing symptoms and hospital stays.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional opioid or sedative agents are used to treat NAS, then the syndrome symptoms can be managed, but the treatment requires slow withdrawal processes and results in prolonged hospital stays

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveeffectiveness of NAS treatmentVSAvoidduration of hospital stay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the pharmacological parameter by using oxytocin, a non-opioid agent with different mechanism of action, to treat NAS. This alternative pharmacological approach achieves effective symptom management while enabling faster withdrawal and shorter hospital stays compared to traditional opioid-based treatments

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If traditional opioid or sedative treatments are used for NAS, then symptoms can be controlled, but healthcare costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesymptom controlVSAvoidhealthcare cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs oxytocin, a shorter-acting non-opioid agent that allows for quicker withdrawal and reduced hospitalization time. This approach reduces overall healthcare resource consumption and costs while maintaining effective symptom control during the treatment period

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Reliability

If slow weaning processes are used with opioids or sedatives, then NAS symptoms can be managed, but treatment complexity and duration increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveNAS symptom managementVSAvoidtreatment protocol complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the opioid component from the treatment regimen and replaces it with oxytocin. This eliminates the need for complex slow weaning protocols associated with opioids while maintaining effective symptom management through a simpler treatment approach

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3773497B1Oxytocin compositions and methods of use
Publication Date: 2023.10.18 ELGAN PHARMA LTD
  • EP3773497B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)
  • EP3773497B1 patent drawingFigure 1(b)
  • EP3773497B1 patent drawingFigure 1(c)

AI summary

Disclosed are oxytocin compositions having a therapeutically effective amount of oxytocin, an analog or derivative of oxytocin, or an oxytocin receptor agonist for the treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome ("NAS") in a subject. Also disclosed are methods for the treatment of NAS by administering a therapeutically effective amount of oxytocin, an analog or derivative of oxytocin, or an oxytocin receptor agonist to a subject.