Probuphine
Probuphine: The buprenorphine implant
Probuphine is buprenorphine in the form of an implant. The implant is a small, solid rod. The implant is placed under the skin, usually in the upper arm, by a doctor in a simple office procedure.
Probuphine patients get 6 months of continuous buprenorphine dosing from a single implant.
Buprenorphine is a medication used to treat addiction to heroin or pain killers like Oxycontin. Buprenorphine prevents physical withdrawal from opiates, limits cravings for opiates, and blocks the effects of heroin, Oxycontin or other opiates.
Current formulations of buprenorphine (brand names Suboxone and Subutex) are in pill form or film form and are to be taken orally and absorbed under the tongue, usually in daily doses.
Potential benefits of using buprenorphine in the form of an implant include:
- you don’t have to worry about taking a medication every day
- you don’t have to experience the nasty Suboxone orange flavor every day
- you don’t have to worry about your medication being lost, stolen or sold
- if you go to jail or rehab for a while during the time the implant is working, you won’t experience an interruption in medication (or go into withdrawal)
Probuphine is currently in Phase 3 clinical trials, and is not yet available to the public.
Probuphine is a product of Titan Pharmaceuticals.