Fresh data has shown that Indivior PLC’s (LON:INDV) Sublocade opioid addiction treatment is more effective at higher doses.
Sublocade is a once-monthly injection that Indivior is trying to big up as the replacement for Suboxone – the company’s star asset which is facing severe competition from generic rivals.
READ: 75% of drug addicts abstinent for a year after Sublocade treatment
Patients who were given 300mg doses remained in treatment longer and had a higher study completion rate than those treated with a 100mg dose.
On average, those on the 300mg dosage also remained abstinent for longer.
Indivior said the findings were consistent with previous reports that injecting heroin addicts may benefit from higher doses of buprenorphine – the main ingredient in Suboxone.
“Indivior is planning additional studies to further characterize the patients for whom a higher maintenance dose of SUBLOCADE may be warranted," said chief scientific officer Christian Heidbreder.
In a separate trial, Indivior found that buprenorphine reduced the extent of respiratory depression in people taking the synthetic opioid fentanyl.
“Based on this study, the potential protective effect of 2 ng/ml and higher buprenorphine plasma concentrations against fentanyl-induced respiratory depression warrants additional investigation,” added Heidbreder.
Indivior shares edged 0.9% higher to 100p on Monday morning.