A Monthly Buprenorphine Injectable: Another Option for Treating Opioid Use Disorder

Randomized clinical trial results look favorable for the only FDA-approved, long-acting, monthly, injectable buprenorphine treatment.

Although monthly, injectable, long-acting naltrexone, oral buprenorphine, and methadone are effective treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD), they have drawbacks (required pretreatment weeklong abstinence for the first; diversion, nonadherence, and access challenges for the last two). Regarding the FDA-approved, long-acting, monthly, injectable buprenorphine extended-release (BUP-XR), few data have been published on efficacy.

In a large multisite, 6-month, double-blind, manufacturer-funded trial, researchers (several of whom were employees) randomized 504 participants who had tolerated sublingual buprenorphine-naloxone for ≤2 weeks to receive BUP-XR or placebo. Two BUP-XR dosing regimens were tested: two monthly 300-mg injections, followed…

Reviewing Author

Claire Wilcox, MD

Disclosures

EquityMannkind Corporation

Grant/Research SupportNIH

Claire Wilcox, MD

Disclosures

EquityMannkind Corporation

Grant/Research SupportNIH

A Monthly Buprenorphine Injectable: Another Option for Treating Opioid Use Disorder

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Reviewing Author