Research

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Dr. Torrington believes that clinical research in the area of addiction medicine is a key element needed to reduce the epidemic of substance dependence.

Starting in 2001  Dr. Torrington worked closely with his mentor,  world famous addiction research guru, Dr. Walter Ling.   When asked about working with Dr. Ling, Dr. Torrington said,  "Dr. Ling is the best mentor a young research physician could possibly have.  He understands every aspect of the research realm, is an excellent teacher and genuinely cares about his patients, the people he works with and the suffering of those afflicted with substance dependence."

Dr. Torrington served as a clinical research physician at UCLA until it closed in from 2002 to 2015. During that period, he participated on every level of clinical research from study design to implementation to publishing data. Dr. Torrington was tapped to participate on the Friends Research Institutional Review board and worked as a scientist member to protect human research subjects and ensure the quality of research product.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES:

  • Co-Principal Invesitgator PPI 2006-01 (Vocci) Friends Research Institute, Torrance, CA
    “A randomized, 2-way cross-over comparative pilot pharmacokinetic study of investigational nicotine sublingual tablets (Pharmaceutical Productions Inc.) vs. COMMIT® Lozenge (Glaxosmithkline) in healthy smoking volunteers”
  • Principal Invesitgator Study TV1380-COA-201 Friends Research Institute, Torrance, CA
    “A 12-week, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Once-Weekly Intra-Muscular Injections of TV-1380 (150 mg/week or 300 mg/week) as Treatment for Facilitation of Abstinence in Cocaine-Dependent Subjects”
  • Principal Invesitgator Study OX219-006 Friends Research Institute, Torrance, CA
    “Induction, Stabilization, Adherence and Retention Trial (ISTART) - A randomized, non-inferiority,
    multicenter study to assess early treatment efficacy of OX219 versus SUBOXONE®
    Film and to explore switching between treatments”
  • Principal Invesitgator Study OX219-008 Friends Research Institute, Torrance, CA
    “OX219-008: Phase III - A multi-center, open-label, 24-week, follow-up study to assess safety, efficacy and treatment adherence for maintenance treatment of opioid dependence with OX219”
  • Study Physician NIDA R01 DA015084 (Ling), UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs
    “Sustained-Release Methylphenidate for the Treatment of Methamphetamine Dependence”
  • Study Physician NIDA/CTN # DA 13045 (Ling), UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs
    “Cocaine Use Reduction with Buprenorphine (CURB)”
  • Study Physician NIDA/CTN #0030 (Ling), UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs
    “A Two-Phase Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial of Buprenorphine/Naloxone Treatment Plus Individual Drug Counseling for Opioid Analgesic Dependence”
  • Study Physician NIDA R01 DA020210-01 (Ling), UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs
    “Optimizing Outcomes Using Suboxone for Opiate Dependence”
  • Implanting Physician/Study Physician NCT01262261 Titan Pharmaceuticals (PRO-811) (Ling), UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs “This is a 6-month, open-label, re-treatment study that will confirm the safety and efficacy of Probuphine in patients who have previously completed the 6-month PRO-806 study with either Probuphine, placebo or sublingual buprenorphine.”
  • Implanting Physician/Study Physician NCT01262261 Titan Pharmaceuticals (PRO-811) (Vocci), Friends Research Institute, Torrance, CA “This is a 6-month, open-label, re-treatment study that will confirm the safety and efficacy of Probuphine in patients who have previously completed the 6-month PRO-806 study with either Probuphine, placebo or sublingual buprenorphine.”
  • Implanting Physician NCT01114308 Titan Pharmaceuticals (PRO-806) (Ling), UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs “This study will confirm the efficacy of Probuphine vs. placebo and compare Probuphine treatment verses treatment with sublingual buprenorphine in the treatment of patients with opioid dependence.”
  • Implanting Physician NCT01114308 Titan Pharmaceuticals (PRO-806) (Vocci), Friends Research Institute, Torrance, CA “This study will confirm the efficacy of Probuphine vs. placebo and compare Probuphine treatment verses treatment with sublingual buprenorphine in the treatment of patients with opioid dependence.”
  • Implanting Physician/Study Physician NCT00630201 Titan Pharmaceuticals (PRO-807) (Ling), UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs “This study will test the safety and efficacy of Probuphine in the treatment of patient with opioid dependence. Patients who have completed 24 weeks of treatment in the Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multi-Center Study of Probuphine in Patients with Opioid Dependence, will be re-treated with Probuphine over an additional 24 weeks.”
  • Implanting Physician NCT00447564 Titan Pharmaceuticals (PRO-805) (Ling), UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs “A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled, Multi-Center Study of Probuphine in Patients for Opioid Dependence”
  • Study Physician P50 DA12755 (Shoptaw), NIH/NIDA Los Angeles Addiction Center: Friends Research Inst. To implement an articulated clinical program of stimulant pharmacotherapy trials. These studies are oriented exclusively to treatment of cocaine and methamphetamine dependence
  • Principal Investigator Monitoring outcomes in Clinical Care, UCLA NPI Addiction Medicine Clinic
    To collect information about the rates of adverse events experienced by patients receiving medications being used off label for addiction disorders. This study is being conducted under the supervision of the UCLA IRB.
  • Study Physician NIDA DA 13045 (Ling), Clinical Trials Network – UCLA Research Node
    To conduct and participate in behavioral, pharmacological and combined behavioral and pharmacological treatment trials for drug abuse dependence. To conduct research on treatment in the NIDA Clinical Trials Network Nodes.
  • Study Physician NIDA DA 13706 (Ling), Los Angeles Addiction Center: Friends Research Institute
    To investigate the variance in pain threshold and tolerance in individuals on illicit opiates as compared to those in varying stages of treatment with partial and full opiate agonists.
  • Study Physician NIDA E 8458 (Compton), UCLA-School of Nursing
    To determine the safety and efficacy of using dextromethorphan to treat the hyperalgesia associated with methadone maintenance.
  • Study Physician NIDA 0484 (Compton), UCLA-School of Nursing
    To determine the safety and efficacy of using oxycodone to treat the hyperalgesia associated with methadone maintenance.
  • Study Physician NIDA CTN-0009 Version 8b, Clinical Trials Network – UCLA Research Node
    The major goal of this project is to assess the effectiveness of adding transdermal nicotine replacement therapy to substance abuse rehabilitation programs.

SELECTED PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS:

  • 2019 Guidelines for Physicians Working in California Opioid Treatment Programs, Chapter 2.2 Medication Assisted Treatment: Buprenorphine, Ling, W.; Shoptaw, S.; Torrington, M;
    California Society of Addiction Medicine, California Department of Health Care Services; Edited by W. Ling MD, D. Stephenson MD, MPH, E. Vasti MD; published 2019
  • Integrative Addiction and Recovery, Edited by Shala Modir and George Munoz, Weil Integrative Medicine Library, Chapter 1: Definition of Addiction, Matthew Torrington, MD;
    Oxford University Press (December 11, 2018); ISBN-10: 0190275332
  • Integrative Addiction and Recovery, Edited by Shala Modir and George Munoz, Weil Integrative Medicine Library, Chapter 2: Overview of the Addiction/Recovery Industry, Matthew Torrington, MD;
    Oxford University Press (December 11, 2018); ISBN-10: 0190275332
  • Integrative Addiction and Recovery, Edited by Shala Modir and George Munoz, Weil Integrative Medicine Library, Chapter 8: Opiates, Opioids and Opiate Addiction, Walter Ling, MD and Matthew Torrington, MD; Oxford University Press (December 11, 2018); ISBN-10: 0190275332
  • Peggy Compton, RN, PhD; Charles Griffis, CRNA, PhD; Elizabeth Crabb Breen, PhD; Matthew Torrington, MD; Ryan Sadakane, BS; Eshetu Tefera, MS; Michael R. Irwin, MD. Opioid treatment of experimental pain activates nuclear factor-κB Journal of Opioid Management 11:2 n March/April 2015, 115-125.
  • Larissa Mooney, Maureen P. Hillhouse, A. Ang, K. Miotto, M. Torrington, D. Dickerson, S. MacNicoll, J. Jenkins, S. Reed, Walter Ling Psychiatric diagnoses and treatment outcomes in opioid-dependent individuals receiving buprenorphine and behavioral treatment. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 07/2014; 140:e155. · 3.28 Impact Factor
  • Hillhouse, M., Jenkins, J., Ling, W., Torrington, M., Miotto K., Mooney, L. Long-term follow-up of medication treatment with and without a behavioral component for opioid-dependent participants, Drug and Alcohol Dependence (Impact Factor: 3.14). 07/2014; 140:e90. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.02.262
  • Karen Miotto, M.D1, Maureen Hillhouse, Ph.D2, Roger Donovick, M.D3, Jerry Cunningham-Rathner2, Charlie Charuvastra, M.D2, Matthew Torrington, M.D2, Asher E. Esagoff, Pharm.D4, and Walter Ling, M.D2, Comparison of Buprenorphine Treatment for Opioid Dependence in Three Settings J Addict Med. 2012 March ; 6(1): 68–76. doi:10.1097/ADM.0b013e318233d621.
  • P. Compton, C. Griffis, M. Torrington, E. Tefera, and M. Irwin, Acute Pain Antagonizes the Anti-inflammatory Effects of Opioids, Journal of Pain, Vol 15(4), supplement 1  2014, p. S58.
  • Walter Ling, Larissa Mooney, Matthew Torrington, Buprenorphine for opioid addiction, Pain Managment, 2012, July; 2(4) 345-350, DOI 10.2217/pmt.12.26.
  • Walter Ling, Larissa Mooney, Min Zhao, Suzanne Nielsen, Matthew Torrington, Karen Miotto Selective review and commentary on emerging pharmacotherapies for opioid addiction. Substance abuse and rehabilitation 01/2011; 2:181-188. DOI:10. 2147/SAR.S22782
  • John M. Roll, Thomas Newton, Joy Chudzynski, Jennifer M. Cameron, Sterling Mcpherson Tim Fong And Matt Torrington Preference For Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate (Ghb) In Current Users, Journal Of The Experimental Analysis Of Behavior 2012, 97, 321–329 Number 3 (May)
  • Ling, Walter MD; Hillhouse, Maureen PhD; Jenkins, Jessica MA; Miotto, Karen MD; Torrington, Matthew MD; Chapleo, Christopher PhD. Comparisons of Analgesic Potency and Side Effects of Buprenorphine and Buprenorphine With Ultra-low-dose Naloxone. Journal of Addiction Medicine: 3 April 2012 doi: 10.1097/ADM.0b013e31824fceca
  • Ling W, Mooney L, Zhao M, Nielsen S, Torrington M, Miotto K. Selective review and commentary on emerging pharmacotherapies for opioid addiction. Dovepress Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation. Published Date October 2011 Volume 2011:2(1) Pages 181 – 18 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/SAR.S22782
  • M. Torrington, M.P. Hillhouse, W. Ling, (6.2010); Treatment with Flumazenil: Comparison of treatment outcomes among patient according to primary drug of abuse. College on Problems of Drug Dependence Poster, Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
  • Compton P, Kehoe P, Sinha K, Torrington MA, Ling W (2010): Gabapentin improves cold-pressor pain responses in methadone-maintained patients. Drug Alcohol Depend. 109(1-3):213-9. PMCID: PMC2875370
  • Compton PA, Ling W, Torrington MA (2008): Lack of effect of chronic dextromethorphan on experimental pain tolerance in methadone-maintained patients. Addiction Biology. 13:393-402.
  • Torrington, M. A., Domier, C. P., Hillhouse, M. & Ling, W. (2007). Buprenorphine 101: Treating opioid dependence with buprenorphine in an office-based setting. Journal of Addictive Diseases, 26, 93-99.