Drug prevents fentanyl overdose for a month in monkeys

As the opioid overdose crisis surges in the U.S., new treatment options are urgently needed. (Image credit: Cavan Images via Getty Images)

A new therapy designed to prevent fentanyl overdoses has shown promise in an early study in monkeys.

Scientists have created an antibody that binds to the synthetic opioid fentanyl in the blood and stops a significant amount from reaching its target receptors in the brain. These receptors normally help to control how we perceive pain and experience emotions, as well as how we regulate our breathing. As a result, people who use fentanyl can experience difficulties breathing, and ultimately respiratory failure, if they take too much of the drug.