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Heroin (diamorphine)
Heroin (generic name: diamorphine) is a Opioid Agonist drug. It is currently in unknown development for Severe pain.
Heroin works by binding to opioid receptors in the brain, mimicking the action of natural pain-relieving chemicals.
Heroin, also known as diamorphine, is a small molecule opioid agonist originally developed by C.R. Alder Wright in 1874. It is currently used to treat severe pain, although its commercial status is unknown. As an opioid agonist, heroin works by binding to opioid receptors in the brain, leading to pain relief. However, its use is often associated with significant safety concerns due to its high potential for abuse and addiction. Despite its potential benefits, heroin is not FDA-approved for medical use in the United States.
At a glance
| Generic name | diamorphine |
|---|---|
| Drug class | Opioid Agonist |
| Therapeutic area | Pain |
| Phase | unknown |
Mechanism of action
Imagine your brain has special locks called opioid receptors that help control pain. Heroin is a key that fits into these locks, allowing it to turn down the volume on pain signals. This can provide quick and effective pain relief, but it can also lead to dependence and addiction if used improperly.
Approved indications
- Severe pain
Common side effects
- Drug abuse
- Toxicity to various agents
- Cardio-respiratory arrest
- Drug dependence
- Overdose
- Cardiac arrest
- Intentional product misuse
- Substance abuse
- Asphyxia
- Completed suicide
- Respiratory depression
- Pulmonary oedema
Key clinical trials
- Developing Field Tools for Real-Time Assessment of Exposure to Psychosocial Stress and Drug Use in an Outpatient Treatment Population
- Tele-Harm Reduction (NA)
- Neurofeedback During Naturalistic Stimuli to Reduce Craving in Heroin Addiction (NA)
- Effect of Indianized Version of Mediterranean Diet vs. Low Fat Diet on Hepatic Steatosis in Overweight Children and Adolescent With MASLD (NA)
- Suvorexant for Opioid/Stimulant Co-use (PHASE2)
- Motivational Interviewing to Increase Uptake of Drug Checking and Safe Drug Use Behaviors to Reduce Overdose (NA)
- Neuroimaging and CBD for Opioid Use Disorder (PHASE2)
- Identifying Optimal Buprenorphine Dosing for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment and Prevention of Overdose (PHASE2,PHASE3)
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- Heroin CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Heroin updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- portfolio CI
Frequently asked questions about Heroin
What is Heroin?
How does Heroin work?
What is Heroin used for?
What is the generic name of Heroin?
What drug class is Heroin in?
What development phase is Heroin in?
What are the side effects of Heroin?
Related
- Drug class: All Opioid Agonist drugs
- Manufacturer: — full pipeline
- Therapeutic area: All drugs in Pain
- Indication: Drugs for Severe pain
Primary sources · FDA · ClinicalTrials.gov · EMA · SEC EDGAR · ChEMBL · Wikidata · full sourcing