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Evan Kharasch, a professor of anesthesiology and vice chair for innovation at Duke University, has created two strategies that may assist in the recovery from fentanyl addiction. After participating in MIT’s Substance Use Disorders (SUD) Ventures Bootcamp, he’s dedicated to introducing them to the marketplace.
Illicit fentanyl dependency continues to be a national crisis in the United States, exacerbated by years of opioid overuse. As opioid prescriptions decreased by 50 percent over 15 years, numerous individuals resorted to street drugs. Among these substances, fentanyl is particularly notable due to its potency — a mere 2 milligrams can prove lethal — and its low manufacturing cost. Frequently combined with other substances, it played a significant role in over 80,000 overdose fatalities in 2024. Current medications for opioid use disorder have made treatment especially difficult.
As an anesthesiologist, Kharasch possesses extensive knowledge of opioids, including methadone, which is one of only three medications sanctioned in the United States for treating opioid use disorder. Methadone is a crucial method for addressing fentanyl consumption. It is utilized to transition individuals from fentanyl and to facilitate ongoing maintenance; however, access is restricted, with only 20 percent of qualified individuals receiving it. Initiating and adjusting methadone therapy can span weeks due to its clinical properties, often leading to withdrawal and necessitating extended hospital stays. Regular maintenance requires daily visits to one of just over 2,000 clinics, disrupting work or academic commitments and causing most patients to discontinue after a few months.
To address these obstacles, Kharasch developed two innovative methadone formulations: one designed for rapid absorption to reduce initiation time from weeks to days — or even hours — and another to slow elimination, potentially requiring only weekly, instead of daily, dosing. As a clinician, researcher, and entrepreneur, he views the science as demanding, but bringing these treatments to patients poses an even greater challenge. Kharasch discovered the SUD Ventures Bootcamp, part of MIT Open Learning, after receiving research funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). He opted to apply to fill the gap in his knowledge and was selected to attend as a fellow.
Each year, the SUD Ventures Bootcamp brings together innovators, including researchers, entrepreneurs, and healthcare professionals, to devise bold, interdisciplinary solutions for substance use disorders. Through online coursework and an intensive one-week on-site bootcamp, groups confront challenges in various “high priority” domains. Guided by specialists in science, entrepreneurship, and public policy, they develop and present ventures aimed at tangible impacts. In addition to the multidisciplinary curriculum, the program connects individuals deeply passionate about this field and prepared to spearhead progress.
During the program, Kharasch’s ideas received validation from invited industry experts, who emphasized the potential effects of a longer-acting methadone formulation, particularly in correctional environments. Support from MIT professors, coaches, and peers invigorated Kharasch to fully chase commercialization. He has already started securing intellectual property rights, verified the regulatory pathway through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and collected market and patient insights.
The SUD Ventures Bootcamp, he notes, activated and confirmed his dedication to delivering these innovations to patients. “After many years of basic, translational, and clinical research on methadone — all supported by NIDA — I encountered a eureka moment realizing a potential opportunity to leverage the findings for large-scale patient benefit,” Kharasch states. “The NIDA-sponsored participation in the MIT SUD Ventures Bootcamp was the pivotal catalyst that sparked the motivation and commitment to translate our research findings into improved treatments for opioid use disorder.”
As a next step, Kharasch is searching for an experienced co-founder and finalizing IP protections. He remains active in the SUD Ventures network as mentors, industry experts, and peers offer assistance in advancing this vital solution to market. For instance, the program’s mentor, Nat Sims, the Newbower/Eitan Endowed Chair in Biomedical Technology Innovation at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and a fellow anesthesiologist, has aided Kharasch in organizing technology validation discussions within the MGH ecosystem and the pharmaceutical development community.
“Evan’s collaboration with the MGH ecosystem can help outline an optimal pathway for commercializing these innovations — determining who would benefit, how they would benefit, and who is willing to pilot the product once it’s available,” explains Sims.
Kharasch has also showcased his project in the program’s webinar series. Looking forward, Kharasch aspires to engage MIT Sloan School of Management students in propelling his project through healthcare entrepreneurship courses, maintaining the momentum that commenced with the SUD Ventures Bootcamp.
The program and its research receive backing from the NIDA of the National Institutes of Health. Cynthia Breazeal, a professor of media arts and sciences at the MIT Media Lab and dean for digital learning at MIT Open Learning, serves as the primary investigator on the grant.
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