What are Nitazenes? The new class of opioids, some of which are more potent than fentanyl

WASHINGTON (TND) — A new class of synthetic opioids called Nitazenes, which could be more potent than fentanyl, are being found around the world including in the United States.

Claire Zagorski, a harm reduction instructor at the University of Texas at Austin said Nitazenes were first developed in the 1950s-1960s but were too strong and too similar to other opioids already on the market.

"The patent, the synthesis, like how you make it and what's unique about it was filed with the U.S. patent office and basically put on a shelf," Zagorski said.

But Zagorski said about eight years ago, Nitazenes started showing up in the illicit drug supply.

One can only assume that whoever first started making it was able to literally look up the patent and figure out how it was made and started making it," Zagorski said.

Now, the drugs are being found coast to coast. Which Zagorski said in part, could be because most of the attention is on fentanyl.

"There is not a law enforcement agency on earth that isn't looking for fentanyl. Looking for people who are moving it," said Zagorski.

Dr. Shravani Durbhakula, a pain physician at Vanderbilt University's Medical Center said another reason Nitazenes are starting to re-surface is because they're hard to trace.

You need very specific liquid chromatography actually to test for Nitazenes which is just not something that we do routinely," Durbhakula said.

Craig Wiles, a retired DEA agent and adjunct professor at Tulane University said Nitazenes are also cheap to make and some of the ingredients are legally available.

"If you think about the business plan, they can be pushed with much less overhead than producing and moving and transporting traditional heroin," Wiles said.

Right now, we know Nitazenes have been found in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, but Wiles said they are likely in all of the traditional areas identified as opioid hot spots.

"You almost have to look at the traditional areas, the areas in the United States that have been identified as opioid hot spots because as a synthetic opioid, it's trying to push its way into all corners of the United States," said Wiles.