The long-acting buprenorphine formulation BUP-XR (monthly extended release) might be better at treating opioid addiction than placebo, according to a study. The daily dose version of the drug has been approved and in use for 17 years – and it works – but it isn’t easy to administer as it requires patients to stick with it daily and towards the end of the one-day cycle they can experience uncomfortable cravings.
FDA approved the use of an extended release buprenorphine (BUP-XR) under the brand name Sublocade as a monthly long-acting injection, based on positive results in a Phase III human subjects study. While data that underlie FDA approval decisions are proprietary and not always available to the public, the study has now been published in The Lancet to make it available to the wider scientific community.
Study results indicate that long-acting BUP-XR allowed participants with a mean duration of opioid use spanning 11 to 12 years, to attain abstinence from opioids without experiencing withdrawal symptoms or cravings.
