A research team at the University of Vienna, led by medicinal chemist Markus Muttenthaler, has developed a new class of oral peptide therapeutics for the treatment of chronic abdominal pain. This ground-breaking innovation offers a safe, non-opioid-based solution for conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which affect millions of people worldwide. The research results were recently published in the international edition of the reputed journal Angewandte Chemie.

An innovative method of pain management

Current medications used to treat chronic abdominal pain often rely on opioids. However, opioids can cause serious side effects such as addiction, nausea and constipation. In addition, they affect the central nervous system, which often leads to fatigue and drowsiness, which impairs the quality of life of those affected. The risk of addiction is particularly problematic and has contributed to the ongoing global opioid crisis. Therefore, there is an urgent need for alternatives that minimize these risks.

This new therapeutic method targets oxytocin receptors in the gut. Oxytocin is commonly known as the “love hormone” because of its role in social bonding. Less well known is that oxytocin can also affect the perception of pain. When the peptide hormone oxytocin binds to these receptors, it triggers a signal that reduces pain signals in the gut. The advantage of this approach is that the effect is gut-specific and thus has a lower risk of side effects due to its non-systemic, gut-limited action.

Oxytocin itself cannot be taken orally because it is rapidly broken down in the gastrointestinal tract. Prof. However, Muttenthaler’s team has successfully created oxytocin compounds that are completely gut stable but can still activate the oxytocin receptor strongly and selectively. This means that these newly developed oxytocin-like peptides can be taken orally, allowing convenient treatment for patients. This approach is particularly innovative because most peptide drugs (such as insulin, GLP1 analogs) must be injected because they are also rapidly degraded in the gut.

Our research highlights the therapeutic potential of gut-specific peptides and offers a new, safe alternative to existing pain medications, particularly for those suffering from chronic bowel disease and abdominal pain.”

Markus Muttenthaler, pharmaceutical chemist

Next steps and future prospects

With support from the European Research Council, the researchers are now working to put their research findings into practice. The goal is to bring these new peptides to market as an effective and safe treatment for chronic abdominal pain. In addition, the general approach of oral, stable and gut-specific peptide therapies may revolutionize the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, as the therapeutic potential of peptides in this area has not yet been fully explored.

The team has already secured a patent for the developed drug pipelines and is now actively seeking investors and industrial partners to advance the drugs towards the clinic.