Effects of Buprenorphine/Naloxone Administered in Different Ways For Treating Opioid Dependence

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Status

Completed

Conditions

Opioid-Related Disorders

Treatments

Drug: Buprenorphine

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

NIH

Identifiers

NCT00134914

NIDA-08045-4

DPMC

R01-08045-4

Details and patient eligibility

About

Buprenorphine is a treatment for opioid dependence. Naloxone is given in addition to buprenorphine in order to limit the abuse potential that is commonly associated with buprenorphine. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of buprenorphine/naloxone when given through different routes and at different doses.

Full description

Buprenorphine, a mixed agonist-antagonist opioid (or partial agonist), is a safe and effective treatment for opioid dependence. However, there is concern that buprenorphine may be abused due to its high abuse potential. A sublingual buprenorphine/naloxone combination tablet may reduce the risk of abuse associated with buprenorphine alone. The purpose of this study is to characterize the effects of buprenorphine/naloxone in opioid-dependent individuals.

This study will last 10 weeks. Participants will stay in a residential research unit, and will be maintained on oral hydromorphone (10 mg). During twice-weekly experimental sessions, participants will be randomly assigned to receive either sublingual tablets, intramuscular injections, or a placebo. The 15 conditions studied will include: sublingual or intramuscular buprenorphine/naloxone (1/0.25 mg, 2/0.5 mg, 4/1 mg, 8/2 mg, and 16/4 mg), 0.25 mg of intramuscular naloxone (antagonist control), 10 mg of intramuscular hydromorphone (agonist control), sublingual and intramuscular buprenorphine (8 mg), and placebo.

Enrollment

10 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18 to 55 years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria