NY Lab Detects Synthetic Opioid

The New York Equine Drug Testing Program has detected the presence of AH-7921–a synthetic opioid–in post-race samples taken from horses that recently ran at Belmont Park, the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) announced Monday. This is the first time the presence of AH-7921 has been detected by an equine testing lab.

A Novel Psychoactive Substance (NPS), AH-7921 can be as potent as morphine, but its core molecular structure does not resemble morphine or fentanyl, which have been detected in post-race samples in the past.

According to the ARCI, NPS drugs are believed to be compounded in order to avoid detection by human testing labs.

The New York State Gaming Commission has suspended owner/trainer Roy Sedlacek due to the lab findings.

“Dr. George Maylin and his team should be commended for their persistent attention to emerging threats,” ARCI Chairman Mark Lamberth said, noting that Dr. Maylin has consistently warned of the threat posed by designer drugs and peptides. “This is excellent work on the part of Dr. Maylin and the New York lab.”

The ARCI explained, “Another racing regulatory lab, Industrial Laboratories, was the first to detect the hepta-peptide Dermorphin in a racehorse. Dermorphin is a natural opioid that binds as an agonist with high potency and selectivity to mu Opioid receptors. AH-7921 is a selective u-opioid receptor agonist with some effect on the K-receptor as well. Its use can be highly toxic.”

Dr. Dionne Benson, head of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, noted that sharing the detection and testing information with other labs would be key, saying she expected “that the testing methods used by the New York lab to detect the presence of AH-7921 will soon be available to other labs accredited by the RMTC.” She added, “Any time we find new substances in horse racing it is significant. It opens up the door to a new type of medication. This is the same class as morphine and we've dealt with the regular versions of morphine and other opiate pain relievers, but now we realize we're going to have to deal with the synthetic versions also.”

A copy of the ruling against Sedlacek can be found here.