Research Reveals Sustainable Method to Produce Lifesaving Opiate Antidotes at Reduced Cost

ST. LOUIS, MO, June 11, 2019 - Overdose from opiates has skyrocketed. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, on average, 130 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose.1 The high cost of antidotes such as NARCAN®prevents many first responders from having access to lifesaving antidotes when they need it most. 2 Researchers at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center have identified a new method of producing these compounds using a microorganism discovered in a waste stream associated with the processing of opium poppy.