New Pharmaceutical Treatment for Opiate Addiction

Probuphine, a new tool to combat opiate addiction, is under review by the Food and Drug Administration. The new drug is designed to be implanted under the skin to deliver a continuous dose of buprenorphine. This may prove to be more effective than sub-lingual buprenorphine, which can be traded for drugs or used to keep opiate addicts out of physical withdrawal when their preferred opiates are unavailable. The drug, developed by Titan Pharmaceuticals Inc., is not yet available commercially, but could prove to be valuable weapon in the war on addiction.