The Buprenorphine Opiate Treatment Family Continues to Grow
A few days ago I talked about a possible cousin of buprenorphine, Lofexidine, that may be hitting the market soon. Well, a new member of the opiate addiction treatment family may also be making an appearance in the near future because the phase 3 clinical trials for a drug called Vivitrol with the intent of ascertaining its efficacy in treating opioid dependence are set to begin.
What is Vivitrol?
Alkermes, Inc., is the biotech company that manufactures Vivitrol, a drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in April 2006 for the treatment of alcohol dependence.
So Why Does Alkermes Think Vivitrol Might Work in Opiate Addiction Treatment?
Dr. Herbert Kleber is a professor of psychiatry and director of the Division on Substance Abuse at Columbia University. He says:
“Opioid dependence is a serious disease affecting millions of people yet there are few approved medications available for these patients and no approved long-acting antagonist therapies. Naltrexone, the active ingredient in VIVITROL, has been shown to effectively block the effects of opiates but patients have difficulty complying with a daily medication regimen. Therefore, I am pleased to see the development of new therapeutic options, such as VIVITROL, which could provide an important approach to long-term recovery and potentially help reduce the risk of relapse.”
The Need for Opiate Addiction Treatment
Opiate addiction is a growing problem in the United States and encompasses the physical dependence upon and nonmedical abuse of drugs ranging from heroin, which is illegal in any context, to opioid-based prescription pain relievers. There are almost 2 million people over the age of 12 in this country alone who abuse opiates, according to the 2006 U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health. In Europe, that number is slightly lower, ranging between 1.3 million to 1.7 million people according to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction in 2005.
Dr. Elliot Ehrich is the Chief Medical Officer of Alkermes and says, “If approved, VIVITROL would be the first and only non-narcotic, non-addictive, long-acting medication for the treatment of opioid dependence.”
That’s if Lofexidine doesn’t get there first!
For more information on this and other studies pertaining to opiate addiction and opiate addiction treatment, check out Medical News Today.
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