Opioid addiction has become an epidemic of massive proportions in recent years, with overdoses now killing 44 people every day on average. But if a new drug works as hoped, it could eliminate the additive qualities that make opioids so dangerous.

The drug, known as BU08028, was recently tested in nonhuman primates, where it did not exhibit any addictive qualities. It also didn’t slow the subjects’ breathing or cause any cardiovascular issues, two side-effects that plague other painkillers.

Here’s Randy Dotinga, reporting for HealthDay: