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SCIENCEThursday 14 January 2016

FDA panel favors approval for
drug-oozing addiction implant

This illustration shows theropods engaged in scrape ceremony display activity, based on trace M. PERRONE tongue. It is considered
fossil evidence from Colorado. The scientists who discovered the long grooves say they were AP Health Writer a safer, more palatable
dug by the feet of dinosaurs during a frenzied ritual to attract mates. WASHINGTON (AP) — alternative to metha-
Federal health advisers done, the decades-old
(Lida Xing/Yujiang Han via AP) recommended approval standard for controlling
this week for an experi- opioid addiction. Opi-
Scrape marks linked to dinosaur mating ritual mental implant designed oids are a powerful fam-
to treat patients recover- ily of drugs that mimic the
MALCOLM RITTER feet to attract mates. Holtz Jr. of the University of ing from heroin and pain- opium poppy, including
AP Science Writer The beasts were built Maryland, who didn’t par- killer addiction. medications like oxyco-
NEW YORK (AP) — Scien- roughly like smaller versions ticipate in the work, said Despite shortcomings in done and illicit narcotics
tists say they’ve discovered of a T. rex. Footprints near it’s reasonable to think that company studies, a ma- like heroin.
evidence of a frenzied the grooves suggest a va- theropods created the jority of Food and Drug More than 2.5 million
mating ritual by dinosaurs: riety of body lengths, up grooves. But was it for mat- Administration advisers Americans are addicted
long grooves in the ground to about 16 feet (4 meters) ing? said the implant offers im- to opioids, according to
etched by the pawing of from snout to tip of the tail. Holtz said he wasn’t con- portant benefits not cur- federal estimates. But less
clawed feet. The grooves they carved vinced that the new paper rently available. The drug- than half are receiving
Such behavior is seen now- are up to 6 feet long. had sufficiently ruled out oozing device is intended medication-based treat-
adays in some birds, and The ritual would have been other explanations. But he to be a safer, more reli- ment to help control the
the discovery suggests that entertaining to watch, added that there’s no par- able approach to con- problem.
two-legged, meat-eating Lockley said in an inter- ticular evidence for reject- trolling cravings and with- Braeburn executives told
dinosaurs called theropods view. “These animals would ing the mating idea. drawal symptoms. panelists Tuesday that its
did it about 100 million have been really frenzied.” “Whatever behavior is be- “Overall the data did implant could help re-
years ago, the researchers Lockley, an emeritus pro- ing recorded here, it is an have some problems,” duce cases of relapse
said. fessor of geology, is an au- expression of the fact that said Dr. Thomas Grieger, among chronic drug
Martin Lockley of the Uni- thor of a paper on the dis- dinosaurs_like all animals_ of the Maryland Depart- abusers.
versity of Colorado Denver covery released last week did more than hunt and at- ment of Health. “But I Many recovering addicts
said the dinosaurs, prob- by the journal Scientific tack and devour and fight think clearly there was no struggle to stick with their
ably males, apparently Reports. The grooves were and all that limited set of evidence of significant daily medication, putting
gathered in groups and found at four sites in Colo- behaviors that popular cul- risk with this agent and them at risk of returning to
“went crazy scraping” with rado. ture often portrays,” Holtz there is evidence of signif- illicit drug use and over-
their clawed, three-toed Dinosaur expert Thomas wrote in an email. q icant benefit and hope- dosing.
fully great promise.” But panelists questioned
The advisers voted 12-5 in whether Braeburn’s stud-
favor of the device from ies accurately predict Pro-
Braeburn Pharmaceuti- buphine’s success. They
cals. The FDA is scheduled cited shortcomings in
to make its formal deci- the company’s research
sion by Feb. 27. including missing urine
The matchstick-size im- samples from some study
plant, dubbed Probu- participants. Additionally,
phine, slowly releases a many patients received
low dose of buprenor- additional drug therapy
phine over six months. to control their cravings
Currently buprenorphine and symptoms, cloud-
is available as a pill or film ing the picture of the im-
that dissolves under the plant’s performance.q