What are the different types of buprenorphine?
What are the different brands of buprenorphine? What are the different dosage forms? What are they used for?
Medically reviewed by Judith Stewart, BPharm. Last updated on Jul 14, 2020.
Official Answer
by Drugs.comBuprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist used to treat opioid use disorder and severe pain. It is available in a number of dosage forms under the brand names Sublocade, Probuphine, Belbuca, Butrans, Buprenex, and Subutex (discontinued).
Buprenorphine was first approved for medical use in the United States in 1981. It belongs to the class of drugs called narcotic analgesics and is listed under Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) due to its potential for abuse.
Buprenorphine Formulations Available in the United States
| Brand | Dosage Form | Administration | Use | Company | Approved | Generic Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sublocade | extended release injection (subcutaneous) | every month | opioid use disorder | Indivior Inc. | 2017 | No |
| Probuphine | implant (subdermal) | every six months | opioid dependence | Titan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | 2016 | No |
| Belbuca | buccal film | once daily or every 12 hours | severe pain | BioDelivery Sciences International Inc. | 2015 | No |
| Butrans | transdermal system | every seven days | severe pain | Purdue Pharma LP | 2010 | Yes |
|
Subutex (discontinued) |
sublingual tablets | once daily | opioid dependence | Indivior Inc. | 2002 | Yes |
| Buprenex | injection (intravenous or intramuscular) | every 6 hours | severe pain | Indivior Inc. | 1981 | Yes |
For detailed information on buprenorphine dosage and administration, see Buprenorphine Dosage.
Brixadi (buprenorphine) extended release injection (subcutaneous) was granted tentative approval for opioid use disorder by the FDA on December 21, 2018. It is not eligible for marketing in the United States until December 1, 2020 because of exclusivity considerations. If Brixadi does receive final approval, it will provide a long-acting injectable buprenorphine alternative to Sublocade, in both weekly and monthly formulations.
Related Medical Questions
- How long does Suboxone stay in your system?
- Is buprenorphine an opiate / narcotic?
- Is buprenorphine the same as Suboxone?
- How long does Subutex stay in your system?
- What are the different types of buprenorphine/naloxone?
- Can you take Subutex with opioids in your system?
- How long does Sublocade last?
Related Support Groups
- Buprenorphine (50 questions, 295 members)
- Belbuca
- Buprenex
- Subutex (93 questions, 1180 members)
- Butrans (55 questions, 313 members)
- Sublocade
- Probuphine
- Pain (3457 questions, 11194 members)
- Chronic Pain (308 questions, 3062 members)
- Opiate Dependence (197 questions, 2280 members)
- Opiate Dependence - Maintenance
