FDA Approves New Opioid Addiction Treatment Combining Buprenorphine and Naloxone

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug to treat opioid addiction that combines buprenorphine and naloxone. The drug, Zubsolv, is similar to Subutex and Suboxone, according to Reuters.

Zubsolv is made by Swedish drugmaker Orexo. It dissolves under the tongue, and comes in a menthol flavor. “Zubsolv is indicated for use as maintenance treatment for people suffering from opioid dependence and should be used as part of a complete treatment plan to include counselling and psychosocial support,” the company said in a news release.

The company states that compared with current opioid drug treatments, patients will need to take less of the new drug in order to achieve the same effect, the article notes. Zubsolv is expected to be available in the United States in September, the company said.

In May, the FDA asked for more information on an implant designed to treat opioid addiction, before making a decision on whether to approve the drug.

The implant, Probuphine, is a long-acting version of the opioid dependence medication buprenorphine. It is implanted under the skin of the upper arm, in a procedure that takes about 10 to 15 minutes in a doctor’s office. It remains in place for about six months. The FDA asked for more information on the effect of higher doses of Probuphine, and on how doctors would be trained to insert and remove the implant.