Indivior PLC (LON:INDV) said the injected, extended release version of its drug for opioid addiction has built on its early promise with results from a 12-month trial mirroring the findings at the six-month stage.
Researchers confirmed that users of Sublocade reported better health, higher medication satisfaction, increased employment and decreased healthcare utilisation compared with those using a placebo with no medicinal benefit.
The treatment, also known as buprenorphine, is being touted by Indivior as a long-term replacement for its best-selling addiction medication, Suboxone, which is now subject to competition after coming off patent.
"These results showed that patients experienced improvements in physical and mental health which may help in the recovery journey and positively impact lifestyle, including employment," said the study’s lead author, Walter Ling, Research Professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA.
The team’s findings from the 12-month follow-up of the extended release treatment were published in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment.
The US Supreme Court earlier this year cleared the way for market access to cheaper alternatives to Indivior’s Suboxone film, which was responsible for most of the company's revenues.
While the sales erosion from generic competition hasn’t been as precipitous as first feared, Indvior has been looking usher in superior products so it can rebuild its market share.