New Lidocaine-Like Painkiller Has Longer Lasting Benefits

Researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine have developed a new analgesic drug that offers both long-lasting pain relief and minimal side effects. The new drug, named boronicaine, is derived from lidocaine and may be used as either an injectable or topical painkiller. 

Unlike lidocaine, which wears off after about five minutes, boronicaine proved effective for up to 25 minutes of pain relief during early stage, pre-clinical studies. According to George Kracke, PhD, the study’s lead author and associate professor of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine at the University of Missouri School of Medicine, the long-lasting effects of boronicaine make it ideal for treating sports injuries or for use in joint replacement procedures. 

Researchers acknowledge there are other painkillers on the market that last longer than boronicaine, but say they often come with undesirable side effects. Although more research needs to be conducted, in early studies, a single dose of boronicaine proved to have no toxicity. 

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