Zohydro Maker Seeks Approval for More Tamper-Resistant Version of Drug

The maker of the pure hydrocodone drug Zohydro ER has submitted an application to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a more tamper-resistant version of the drug, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The company, Zogenix, says the new version contains a thick gel in the capsule that will make it difficult to inject or snort. Some addiction specialists say a person could still abuse the drug by swallowing the capsule’s contents, the article notes.

“The new technology being added to Zohydro ER represents a meaningful advancement because it incorporates properties designed to deter abuse yet maintain the efficacy of the medication, a central consideration throughout the product’s development,” Stephen Farr, Ph.D., president of Zogenix, said in a news release.

The FDA approved Zohydro in October 2013 for patients with pain that require daily, around-the-clock, long-term treatment that cannot be treated with other drugs. Drugs such as Vicodin contain a combination of hydrocodone and other painkillers such as acetaminophen. Zohydro ER became available in March.

In December 2012, a panel of experts assembled by the FDA voted against recommending approval of Zohydro ER. The panel cited concerns over the potential for addiction. Zohydro is designed to be released over time, and can be crushed and snorted by people seeking a strong, quick high. The opioid drug OxyContin has been reformulated to make it harder to crush or dissolve, but Zohydro does not include similar tamper-resistant features.