Cara Therapeutics Rallies On Positive Opioid Receptor Agonist Trial Results

Cara Therapeutics Inc CARA popped more than 32 percent Wednesday morning after management reported positive top-line data for a drug candidate.

What Happened

A Phase 2/3 trial of intravenous CR845 in abdominal surgery patients achieved primary endpoints for pain relief and secondary endpoints for nausea and vomiting reduction.

Why It’s Important

The drug could be the first approved kappa opioid receptor agonist, which selectively targets such receptors to mitigate potentially addictive properties.

"As there continues to be a critical need for new post-surgical analgesics like I.V. CR845 that lack abuse potential and traditional mu opioid side effects, we will be assessing all options, including discussions with regulators, as to how to best move this program forward,” Derek Chalmers, Cara's president and CEO, said in a press release.